While the World Sleeps

Beyond the Dream have a few very obvious influences, but thankfully have the common sense to take the best parts from those inspirations and discard the dross. Cradle of Filth is plastered all over much of the music on 'While the World Sleeps', though that isn't a totally bad thing, since the croaky dry screams of Dani Filth are one of their greatest features, which Harri Kaupinnen manages to capture absolutely, almost to the point of plagiarism. Where Beyond the Dream do well is to remember that CoF ventured off into stupid gothic nothingness on more than a few occasions, removing the balls from their extreme metal assault and flopping around in pools of cold blood like dying fishes. This album doesn't forget to bring the guitars, packing most of the songs with high energy riffing that understands where death and black metal came from, but isn't afraid to connect those roots to mainstream modernity. There isn't a lot of out-and-out brutality, though we get blastbeats a couple of times and the bass hangs out the bottom of the mix at high speed and chugging pace, bringing a welcome forthrightness to otherwise slightly slick grooves.

The other influence that I hear plastered all over this is Deathstars, the gothic/industrial metallers who owe more than a bit of their sinister grandiosity to Rammstein and - like CoF also possess a deep-voiced imp on vocals. The slower moments, as well as some of the more in-your-face attitude, comes from the confrontational stance of the Swedes, while the keyboard ambience that rings ominously behind infrequent electronic beats (the second half of 'Rotting Lovers, WIthering Flowers' is where I'm at now) is reminiscent of their dangerous atmospheres. The slower parts of the album don't edge too close to CoF's neoclassical detours, but often dwell on strong rhythms and the backing of keys, meaning that the romance doesn't get overdone and we can mostly think of these guys as bad-asses even when they drop the riffing intensity.

Some songs don't quite make it to this level, such as 'Am I Awake?', which drags considerably from its lack of quality riffs and concrete ideas, even if the riff about at about 3:20 picks things up a little. Seeking a better word, 'You Are the Water' is a bit wet, chugging too heavily and drowning the chorus in the most OTT keyboards you are likely to hear this year, while the lyrics are also unlikely to save the song from the curse of the repeat button. The neatly-titled 'A Foreplay for the Wolves' on the other hand is clearly one of the highlights, brandishing its conviction like a weapon and ripping open the album in great musical and lyrical style. I'm also a fan of 'Red Rivers', particularly of the upbeat verses and crushing groove bridge. The two songs that close the album reach out to almost epic lengths, though there is little difference in their purpose, except to prolong the same formula of heavy riffing and atmospheric oppression.

The greatest problems that anyone may have with 'While the World Sleeps' are with the obvious nature of the influences and with the heavy presence of keyboards high in the mix. While the guitars are a persistent presence on some songs, there are other moments when the keyboards take over completely, where sometimes it would have been to the benefit of the song to focus more heavily on straightforward movement or add melody by using the guitars. 'Don't Fear the Sin' is one example of such misuse, since the basic chassis of riffs and furious drumming is sufficient to maintain interest, yet the gentle keyboards alter the dynamic of the song in an unhelpful manner, robbing it of some potency. 'While the World Sleeps' is not a bad album, especially for those who love the aforementioned bands and need some heavier substance to their gothic themes, there isn't a great deal of new ideas here, even if the execution is suitably fun and blustering for the most part.