Album Reviews : Beneath The Sky – The Day The Music Died

This CD is Modern Death Metal or Metalcore if you which to image-type. I think the main reason people ‘image-type’ bands into the metalcore genre is because of the vocals. However, it is in the vocals in this band – Beneath The Sky from the US – where the variety in the band lies.

Rather than generic mono-tonal disease that’s been hanging around the genre for a while now, Beneath the Sky switch in and out between aggressive thrash vocals, clean singing, black metal styled screams and classic death metal growls. Being modern death metal, the expected breakdowns do make an appearance and they vary enough to save me from pulling out the always fun ‘negative adjective’ dictionary.

While so far I’ve been fairly positive in describing what this album offer, there is an obvious downside that for me is glaring at me to be spoken about. The rhythm of most songs on ‘The Day the Music Died’ is too start/stop. Just when you hear a hint of a good riff or melody, they change direction. While this might leave you wanting more, for me it tended to simply be frustrating, more and more so as each minute passes. There are however some occasions where the band goes through with it resulting in some enjoyable climaxes to songs.

My personal favourite track on the album is definitely track 7 titled ‘It All Ends with A Smile’. This far into the cd, the album has grown on you sufficiently to warrant enjoyment for this the standout track on the record. The interchanging vocal ideas work the best here, and as it also features the best guitar solo on the record, then at this point this track alone will probably justify the purchase cost of the album.

So when you’re in the cd store thinking about your next heavy metal acquisition, here is my advice. If you’re a ‘mod in metal form’ Beneath The Sky offer an enjoyable album. For someone into metal for the past 5-10 years, there are moments here for you so search the bargain bin for this one, and for the old school listener, just get some Morbid Angel or Bathory! So has the music died this day? For some maybe, but for me…not  quite! 6/10

For fans of: Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Hypocrisy

Band: Beneath The Sky
Album: The Day The Music Died
Year: 2008
Genre: Modern Death Metal
Label: Victory Records (STOMP in Australia)
Origin: USA
www.myspace.com/beneaththesky

Track Listing:
1. Nature of the Beast
2. True Friends Stab You in the Front
3. With a Gun Smoke Kiss
4. Misery with a Delicate Voice
5. Option for the Lonely
6. The Belle of the Ball
7. It All Ends with A Smile (Reviewers choice)
8. I’ll call This My Own
9. Respect for the Dead
10. Fight for Your Right
11. Another Day
12. The Pursuit of ???