Beyond the Flesh – What the Mind Perceives
In this fast-paced brutal, aggressive, thrashing, melodic death metal release, the songs don’t have much of a pause before raging into the next one. Not a bad idea at all. Beyond the Flesh plays a kind of death metal that, while relying on melodic, thrashing riffs, still has a serious intense feel to it. This may be “melodic death,” but it’s melodic in the same sense that “Spiritual Healing” or “Symbolic” by Death is melodic. The other element is clearly old Gothenburg metal. As it turns out, this album is impressive in its intensity because it doesn’t turn into some cheesy, melodic cd. There are no clean vocals on here. Overall, it’s also catchy in its songs and guitar riffing. For me, however, it leaves a little something to be desired. Maybe it’s the feeling that it’s still too derivative of its influences. Maybe it’s the good-demo quality of the sound. It sounds a bit too rough in its production. I know this band can do and will do much better; you can tell by the potential that’s on here. This was recorded in the fall of 2002. It’s being released in 2005.