Most readers know the Decibel headquarters is in Philadelphia, guarded by the undead and a moat filled with corrosive acid. Wild Beyond formed in Philly during the height of the pandemic’s sense of uncertainty and dread. But as their name implies, Wild Beyond don’t remain tethered to this dying planet on their self-titled debut. Instead, the trio—featuring current and former members of Daeva, Woe, and Woods of Ypres—explore the vastness of cosmic black metal with street thrash’s grit and urgency. Today, Decibel shares the eponymous album courtesy of Gates of Hell Records a few days before the record’s April 14th release.
After an explosion of deranged riffs from vocalist/guitarist Edward Gonet, “Detonation of Secret Works” closes with one of the album’s grimmest grooves. That track evolves into the space-surfing blackened psych of “Frenzied at the Skull.” Drummer Evan Madden chases the devil through an asteroid field with a powerful and agile performance. Alien melodies emerge as brief moments of sanctuary. The introduction of “Antichrist Coronation” feels like an offering of peace before the song turns into a “frost-covered fist.” Bassist/guitarist Jimmy Viola also contributes keyboards for eerie textures. The synth denouement “Exit Wounds” is an appropriately mischievous final statement on this unhinged debut.
The band’s lore explains their genesis this way: “[Wild Beyond] started when Gonet impulse-purchased a Randy Rhodes Flying V guitar and began composing after five years of not playing. A year later, with songs and riffs under his belt, Gonet was introduced to Viola and Madden through Sonja drummer Grzesiek Czapla.” The result is perfectly captured by Wild Beyond‘s cover painting from Adam Burke: black thrash with an ominous yet vibrant aura.
Venture into the cosmic wilderness and escape reality by pressing play below.
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