Insect Song

Beyond the Embrace – The Insect Song (Metal Blade)
Metal, straight up Iron Maiden mixed with NWOSDM. Basically, a more modern version of NWOSDM mixed with bits and pieces of American thrash and the melody of grunge. Sounds like Metallica, especially vocally. In fact, the vocalist could just as well be in a Metallica tribute band. Three guitarists, but I’m not hearing them doing anything spectacular, so maybe they could fire on of the guys and make more money that way. Also reminds me a little of Herod, as well as the more intriguing moments of Killswitch Engage. Overall, really good stuff.

Tracks:
1) Dead-on Metallica-inspired song, a little like Fuel, maybe? Really good, though, with a killer solo/breakdown.
2) More Metallica, but this time the NWOSDM comes through in the guitars a lot more clearly, especially in the Maiden-ish solos and triple-guitar harmonies. Really awesome song, also reminiscent of KSE.
3) Slower, mid-tempo with some kick-ass guitar lines and nice, audible bass. Fantastic chrous.
4) Midtempo triplets and almost chugga-chug feel (it’s weird) with processed vocals, sounding a little like recent In Flames, except without the vomiting that shit causes.
5) Dark Tranquillity worship through and through, but with a whole lot of melody infused into the vocals and a rhythm section that’s basically Maiden. Later transforms into a steady chugga-chug rocker, think Garage-era Metallica.
6) Acoustic guitar intro, and then a thrashier attempt at covering recent Metallica. Basically, if the Hetfield/Ulrich team hadn’t gone all country and sucky on us, this is what they would’ve probably been writing right now. Really awesome song with a damn powerful breakdown.
7) Instrumental, really solid piece of acoustic wizardry.
8) More average and indistinguishable.
9) Modern Maiden in the intro, and then a mix of the melody of recent Soilwork and the aggressiveness of mid-period In Flames, all of it wrapped up in spoken vocals, and James Hetfield worship.
10) FCC (“what the fuck would it be”) at –0:24, but otherwise a killer song, one of the most aggressive on the disc, real raw Darkane feel with some of the pounding of new Dew Scented.