This is the debut album from US black metal band Wild Beyond.
Featuring current and ex-members of Daeva, Infernal Stronghold, Woe, and Woods of Ypres, Wild Beyond is a 31-minute onslaught of blistering black metal with a ferocious thrash edge.
Wild Beyond is a very enjoyable album, but it’s also an interesting one that’s unexpected in a few ways. It’s a record that’s easy to like, as it’s full of passion and energy from the very start. It’s blackened thrash that takes strength from both parent styles; the esoteric darkness of black metal paired with the spiked gauntlet of jagged thrash riffs. Wild Beyond know how to write a nasty black thrash track, that’s for sure.
So far, so good, but there’s more than might initially meet the eye here. The icing on the frosty cake is the side of the band that doesn’t just play aggressively for the sake of it. First and foremost this is a collection of riffs, riffs, riffs. It just also happens to be more than just this, as Wild Beyond turn these into actual songs with many diversions and creative ideas.
Amidst the copious aggression and savagery you’ll also find structure, dynamics, and worldbuilding. Wild Beyond do well to include sections where the music just crafts detailed metallic landscapes with abyssal depths, thrashy riffs, and classic metal know-how. This is especially true when the band tear into an extended solo section – the gods of heavy metal clearly smile down on Wild Beyond!
Wild Beyond reminds me of a blackened version of the early thrash era, where bands simultaneously wrote songs that had direct appeal, but also took the listener on a journey. This is definitely a record to spend time with, and it’s one that provides rich rewards to those that do.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 