One word that’s has a bitter flavor for people is ‘evolution’, because things changing are natural, and nothing and no one stays the same forever (well, some try, but’s a tantrum’s case, you know). After the construction of foundations of Doom Metal under BLACK SABBATH’s early works, bands as CANDLEMASS helped things to improve into a higher ground (as MY DYING BRIDE, PARADISE LOST and others did as well), and it seems that the North American quintet BEHÖLDER is up to take things far, as show on “In the Temple of Tyrant”. North American Metal acts (in any Metal genre you can think of) have deeper roots on melodies inherited from Hard Rock, AOR, Southern Rock and others (think of a child or youngster living with a family hearing to music, and you’ll understand what I mean), and even using an excellent form of Doom Metal with an Epic outfit, you’ll find elements of US Heavy Metal on the core of their music.

Yes, it’s an Epic Doom Metal band with excellent melodic ambiences and tons of energy, so dive into it! Produced by Carlos Alvarez (the band’s guitarist and founder), with mixing and mastering signed by Ronnie Björnström (the Swedish sound engineer who’s known for his works with 220 VOLT, TOXICROSE, NIGHTRAGE, SORCERER, PAGANIZER, CENTINEX, BLOOD RED THRONE, KROW, DEMONICAL, and many others), the sonority is huge, defined and cleaner than the usual for Doom Metal acts, but it fits perfectly on what the quintet plays. And what great artwork of Zsofia Dankova for the cover! The special guest: on “Eyes of the Deep”, here is Tomi Joutsen of AMORPHIS.

“A Pale Blood Sky” (here the alchemy fuses the melodic appeal of US Metal with tons of weight and slow tempos of Doom Metal, with very good melodic vocals), “Dungeon Crawl” (impossible to not feel the clutch of US Metal on the melodies, and charming guitars are heard on riffs, solos and duets), “Into the Underdark” (even with the melodies making things interesting, the Doom Metal side of their music is evident), “Eyes of the Deep” (excellent contrasts on the vocals, but pay attention to the heavy rhythmic artillery of bass guitar and drums), “Those Who Fell” (and unusual feeling for Doom Metal acts fills this one, but how lovely it is, and pay attention to the Dream Rock touches on its beginning), “Draconian (Slave or Masters)”, “Summoned & Bound” (climatic and ‘Doomish’, it’s impossible to resist to its melodic appeal) and “I Magus” are songs that every Doom Metal fan… Better saying, that every Metal fan should hear.

Maybe BEHÖLDER is creating a turning point in Doom Metal, but for now, “In the Temple of the Tyrant” is an amazing release. Hear to it!