The Metal genre is known for its synthesis of different styles, from Folk Metal to Melodic Death Metal. Variety helps keep things interesting. Italian band THRONE OF MOLOK's third full-length effort, "Beat Of Apocalypse", delivers variety in spades, combining Death Metal with Industrial-inspired beats and effects.

THRONE OF MOLOK focuses more on the Metal part of the music than the effects, which ultimately does them well. The band can really play their instruments, and any more unnecessary sound effects might have taken away from their impressive display; although, I will admit that the electronic effects sounded less bland to me compared to the overused, simple atonal and pentatonic melodies of many average bands. The guitars have a very old-school Death Metal vibe to them, as well a noticeably 90's tone. The lead vocalist Morg's growls are gravelly and sinister, giving the songs an additional rawness and ferocity that sometimes gets lost in the more up-beat sections. The lyrics are also well delivered, even if the subject matter seems to be rather standard Metal fare. The drums cover just about every range of speeds throughout "Beat of Apocalypse", from the crushing, robot voice-accompanied breakdown in the beginning of "Walking Death", to the warp-speed ass-kicking that is "Sentinel  Possessed."

While I am not a fan of Electronic / Industrial music in general, I found the percussive effects used in the tracks that draw from this style to be pretty interesting, since Metal drumming can be a bit repetitive at times. The effect was generally more upbeat music, still fast-paced but less suffocating, which made most of the quicker parts easier to digest. This, to me, also highlighted the competency of the band's musicians, who keep up very well with the recording's super-human drumming. Every composition is strong and well-realized.

Right out of the gate, THRONE OF MOLOK come out swinging on the pulverizing title track. K. Mega and A. Dranor's playing is very well done, especially on this song; the riffing is inventive, and never feels tired or repetitive. "Something Black" continues this trend, continuing to dazzle with the speed and precision of the drumming that holds this song together. These two songs contain some of the few leads present on the album; they are well done and musically competent, but they aren't really important in the music, as the focus is more on the rhythm and feel. This is apparent by the fact that they're not very prominent in the recording mix.

"Atm.ind.inferno" is where things get even more industrial, and the result is not that bad. Wanton bass-dropping and over-use of robotic voices can be disastrous, but THRONE OF MOLOK's intelligent and measured use of electronic effects accent the music perfectly. The song is followed by the fantastic "Tuned by Holocaust", which pounds away at a furious pace. "Sentinel Possessed", "Obscure Emotions", and "Evil Invader" are also strong tunes. The songs don't really vary much in terms of basic formula, though the implementation of each song is unique and memorable in their own way. "Sentinel Possessed" starts off with a strange mix of robotic vocals and scratchy instruments before erupting into a riff full of breathtaking speed and aggression. "Walking Death" is one of the best tracks on the album, and happens to feature the least amount of electronic influence of any song yet. The main riff / breakdown section is very simple but also extremely well done.

"Beat of Apocalypse" is an interesting record, markedly different from most mainstream bands and very well performed. Even if Industrial isn't your preference, there is still plenty of heaviness and speed for any extreme metal fans to enjoy, from Black Metal lovers to dedicated Thrashers. Check it out if you're looking for something different.