Beak is one of those bands that is hard to categorize. They’re heavy. They’re atmospheric. They’re diverse. Oh, did I mention they were heavy? They have the apocalyptic presence of Killing Joke (Check out the keys on “Hands Collide”), the instrumental prowess of Pelican, and both the fierceness and musicality of Isis (“Men At Arms”).
On their debut album, Eyrie, Beak make a compelling case to be the only new metal band to watch in 2012. Eyrie is a 5-song aural journey that is filled with not only unbridled intensity but also gorgeous passages expertly executed. “Angry Mother of Bones” is the first taste of Eyrie and like an unexpected tornado, it comes at the listener out of nowhere laying waste to all in its path . Hearing guitarist/vocalist Jon Slusher for the first time is an experience. The rage that spews forth from his delivery is unparalleled and adds so much to the Beak sound. The next two tracks (“Hands Collide” and “Men at Arms”) just up the ante completely as you continue through the world of Beak.
“Hands Collide” is this awesome mesh of Isis and Killing Joke showing off the great riffing by Slusher and Andy Bosnak along with the subtle polivok (It’s a synthesizer, folks. I had to look it up, too.) stylings brought to life by bassist Jason Goldberg. The pinnacle of Eyrie is “Men at Arms” which is a lumbering giant of a song clocking in at over seven minutes. It’s equal parts beautiful and brutal and the song that will really sell you on Beak. Rounding out Eyrie is “Billions Of Eyes” featuring a great Metallica meets Megadeth double guitar attack and “The Weight & Time” which has a bone crunching riff that perfectly ends the album.
Eyrie is out on April 3rd on Someoddpilot Records Sample it and pre-order here.
Grade: A+