Temple of Dread – Beyond Acheron (Review)

This is the fourth album from German death metal band Temple of Dread.

Following on from 2021’s Hades Unleashed, Beyond Acheron contains 46 minutes of thrash-edged old-school death metal mayhem. Beyond Acheron marauders through its running time like a thing possessed, but one that hoards secret knowledge and forbidden truths that elevate it to more than a simple beast.

Beyond Acheron finds Temple of Dread continuing to punish the listener with considered brutality, but on this album they have also expanded their hunting grounds. Developing their atmospheric side, the band push their macabre and sometimes ambitious, stirring moods further. Beyond Acheron is dark and aggressive, yet also unexpectedly epic in places, accomplishing depth of feeling and experience, while not neglecting death metal hostility.

These songs are well-written and easily balance stylish hooks with meaty substance. Riffs fly around like shrapnel, while the band’s melodic work is well-expressed and polished. There’s a classic metal influence to many of the leads and solos that recalls Iron Maiden, which is no bad thing at all. The atmospheric components are skilfully designed and incorporated into the material naturally, adding another layer to the music.

The core of Temple of Dread still reminds me, (mostly), of a collision between Malevolent Creation and Obituary, and these new songs are very enjoyable at least in part because of this. Of course the band have their own personality within this framework, (especially on this new album, when you take into account the keyboards and increased use of melody and mood), but the distillation of these two acts into one place is hard to ignore. Having said that though, there’s even more to Temple of Dread on Beyond Acheron, with its expanded reach. I’ll throw references to bands like Nile, Melechesh, and Septicflesh for these parts. The album benefits from these sections throughout, but a song like Damnation is a particularly good example, (and a great song), and so is the majestic closer Hades. On the other hand, it’s testament to the diversity of this release that it also contains a song like the two-minute Asebeia, where Temple of Dread are at their most vicious.

There’s no denying that Temple of Dread know what they’re doing with their music, and these new songs showcase the band firing on all cylinders. An accomplished album like this with a well-defined sound makes for a very satisfying experience. It’s great to hear Temple of Dread develop their death metal in such strong ways, and Beyond Acheron holds much to offer fans of creative, eloquent death metal.

Very highly recommended.