BENEATH THE SKY

"What Demons Do to Saints" (Victory; 2007)

Reviewed by Mike SOS

If you ever wondered where Cobra Commander went, no worries ... he's fronting Cincinnati-based metalcore sextet Beneath the Sky. 

In all seriousness, this group's salaciously serpentine vocals manage to set them apart from the rest of the overcrowded heap, but not by much. The same weary guitar lines, staged keyboard overlays, and passionless melodic singing patterns heard across the board waters down a lot of what make songs like "For Each Remembered Name" so brutal, demeaning their overall power.

While the band sometimes goes full-on gonzo and sounds like Carcass versus Shadows Fall with Bleeding Through as guest referee on cuts like "The Glamour of Corruption," ultimately "What Demons Do to Saints" is chock full of superior, bludgeoning death metal riffs and blood curdling vocals ("7861") that morph into unspectacular metalcore choruses that you couldn't pick out of a police lineup. 

Maybe next time they'll balance it out, but as far as the current state of this flooded scene, this 11-track disc does provide contrast and should still satisfy. 

For more information, check out www.beneaththesky.com.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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Copyright © 2007 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights reserved.
Revised: 15 Apr 2024 14:51:32 -0400.