UK band BEHOLDER have been around in one form or another for the better part of a decade, and first started making small waves in the metal community with the release of their debut album “The Awakening” in 2009. This was followed by “The Order of the Chaos” in 2013 and then this latest production, “Reflections”, which was launched in the late spring of 2016 through Razorline Music.
On the by now fairly dated internet locations of the band, the main webpage and the information section on their Facebook both seemingly still connected to 2013 or thereabouts, the band describe themselves as either “true British metal” or “pure British metal”. Just what that means I’m not so sure about, but what it apparently doesn’t mean is any close relation to that most British metal sound of all, NWOBHM. Whatever true/pure British metal is, it is different from that. But that is just about the only negatives I will throw at this band. Get your internet presence up to date folks, and while the true/pure British metal slogan sounds good, decide on one of them and consider to give it some content to boot. I should perhaps add that opening the album with a song about the national Norwegian trauma of Utoya may be a bit too daring, but from what I can tell there hasn’t been any negative fallback to speak of regarding that particular choice.
As for the music, Beholder is a metal band, and of the kind that really doesn’t limit themselves to any one narrowly defined subgenre of the metal genre jungle. Which, in my book at least, is a good thing. The general impression I get is an attitude of “as long as it’s metal it’s good”, and in addition I wouldn’t be all that surprised if some of the key members and/or songsmiths in the band has a certain fascination for progressive rock and metal.
Dark, intense songs that fluctuate and alternate between classic and modern thrash metal appears to be something of a foundation for this band, further expanding their scope by honing in on groove-oriented passages, galloping power-metal tinged sequences and slower paced, traditional heavy metal movements. Bouncy, playful thick guitar riffs and tight, dampened riff cascades exist side by side with slower paced almost doom-laden riffs, quirkier vibrant wandering riffs classic Megadeth style and several instances of more elegant and sophisticated combinations of electric and acoustic guitars in different combinations. A recurring feature throughout is the use of carefully dampened or distanced melodic overlays of various kinds, and in tight support beneath is a quality rhythm section able and willing to establish thunderous, vibrant support as well as a more laid back and careful delivery when the guitars or vocals are in need of a full placement in the limelight.
The lead vocals of Simon Hall is the element that adds an extra dimension to this album of semi-progressive thrash metal however. A vocalist able to deliver powerful and controlled melodic vocals with the same ease as snarling hardcore style lyrical vitriol and aggressive metal snarls, the manner in which he ease himself from one to the other in the course of a single song creates a lot of the added nerve to this production. That he isn’t a stranger to include some vocal harmonies here and there a further positive in my book, whether it’s for the lead or the backing vocals, especially when done with as much success as here.
“Reflections” is a solid metal production of the kind that jumps back and forth between several subgenres, with something of a focus on the ones closest to thrash metal, and then adds a slight sheen of progressive metal to the blend. While perhaps not always blazingly brilliant there aren’t really any weak tracks at hand here either, as long as you fancy a metal album of this particular nature obviously. If you tend to enjoy dark, aggressive moods explored within a framework of subtly progressive flavored thrash metal, then this is a production that probably merits a check.
My rating: 84/100
