Sometimes, it can feel like metal is too niche nowadays, with bands falling in to bizarre micro-genres, like avant-garde psydo aliencore, for example. Whatever happened to having a band that just played some God-damned heavy metal? If you’ve ever found yourself in my position, asking the same question, then raise your hands to Satan, for your prayers have been answered and have arrived in the form of Beyond The Grey. This Kansas City-based quintet have not succumbed to the pressures of having to play in an outrageous style in order to be noticed, instead focusing on bringing some straight-forward heavy metal; the kind that doesn’t think twice about landing you square on your ass.
There is a real ’90s nostalgia about the sound which Beyond The Grey have managed to produce in their newest single “Insanity”, making you question at times whether the track was released in 2018, or 1998. The intriguing vocals from singer David Lingenfelter sound eerily similar to that of Disturbed’s David Draiman in places, due to the low, subdued style which quickly crescendo, flaring in to life like a roaring animal. Accompanying this classically metal style of singing are the world’s crunchiest guitar riffs (and I’ve heard my fair share of crunchy guitar riffs), packing an intense punch of chunky metal goodness.
At any rate, those of you seeking to get away from the ‘heavier, faster, scream-ier’ attitude which has become the norm within metal over the past decade, you can easily find a haven within the music of Beyond The Grey. Their hard and heavy, vaguely sludgy, style of metal is a throwback to the metal of yonder year, one which you will fall for immediately. Allow yourself to forget about blastbeats and screamed vocals for a while, and become enveloped in a much more classic style of metal.
Insanity is out now and available to stream here.
Beyond The Grey: facebook | reverbnation
