Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Byzantine - Oblivon Beckons review (by: Chad Bowar)

When you hear that someone is from the backwoods of West Virginia, certain stereotypes come to mind. That's where Byzantine is from, and they completely destroy any preconceptions you might have about their fine state.
Oblivion Beckons is the band's third CD, and the one that should propel them to a higher level. Byzantine blends modern and technical metal with old school thrash. Complex, precise riffs are punctuated by extended guitar solos. Brutal and aggressive songs evolve into lengthy progressive jams. This is a band that has the discipline and chops to play very technically, and the creativity to explore their more experimental and progressive side.
With a CD that is so diverse, the vocalist needs to keep up, and O.J. Ojeda has no problem moving from angry screams to yells to melodic vocals. Oblivion Beckons is an impressive display of musicianship and songwriting, and Byzantine's ability to pull off thrash, technical metal, prog and even an acoustic instrumental makes it a memorable and very well done CD.
(released January 22, 2008 on Prosthetic Records)

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