Adelaide outfit One Step Beyond has released an album, In the Shadow of the Beast, which is a cacophony of sounds centred around Australia’s growing melodic metal scene. The first thing you notice in this release (aside from the blast beats) is the impressive diversity in Wood’s vocals.
Everything from low growls to howling screams, chosen at just the right times for each section of the album.
The tracks themselves have an interesting mix of many influences, while still having melodic metal at its core. Everything from thrash to even sludgey-doom is covered, making this release a kind of carpet book of musical samples and extremes in the genre. The great part about this is that each section is very well performed, and it doesn’t impact the release’s credibility. The melodies in this release are solidly constructed with some nods to old school giants, but this is where I have a gripe.
Many of the melodies are repeated ad nauseam; making the release great for familiar background music, but impacting continual attentive listens.
The production is something else that should have a little more attention. The bottom end on this release is too pronounced and gives the tracks little room to breathe. The best word to describe One Step Beyond’s latest album In the Shadow of the Beast is ‘chaotic’, and I realise that that may come across as a negative thing, but it is intended as anything but; especially in metal. Suitable for people who need to add more destructive personalities to their Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.
Release Year: 2018
Label: Wormhole Death Records
Category: Album
Country: Australia
Reviewed by Liam Frost-Camilleri
