Beyond the Gates of Hell

There are some stereotypes that just can't be shaken despite the best of efforts, and in present day metal circles one of the big ones is the notion that Frontiers Records only fields sleek and snazzy AOR-tinged acts that barely manage an adjacent relationship with heavy metal. This naturally is countered by the near decade long stint that Primal Fear had with said label, to speak nothing for the recent partnering of said label with the likes of Insania and Persuader, but for those who insist that the Italian label in question can be most readily connected with the numerous label-concocted super groups featuring the talents of Magnus Karlsson and Alessandro Del Vecchio, the recent acquisition of French heavy metal powerhouse Rising Steel and particularly their daunting beast of a 2022 entry Beyond The Gates Of Hell beg to differ.

For those unfamiliar with the brand of high grade, tempered metallic goodness that this outfit brings to the table, let's just say that these five metal maniacs don't reside on the soft side of the metal spectrum. Comparisons to the likes of Cage, Angel Dust and even the riff happy thrash handiwork of Forbidden and latter day Helstar would not be out of order, though probably the aptest comparison would be to a number of recent projects featuring the vocal work of Herbie Langhans, name the recent work of The Lightbringer Of Sweden and Firewind. Much of this owes to vocalist Fabrice Emanuelson having a similarly gritty and forceful sound to the aforementioned German titan of Sinbreed and Seventh Avenue fame, but between the utterly ferocious character of the guitar tone that flirts with being the envy of present day Testament and the phenomenal mix spearheaded by Staffan Karlsson (known for his past work with Firewind, among others), this is definitely a package deal.

Song for song, this juggernaut of an LP proves time and again that the vivid imagery of flame-wreathed gates leading to the City of Dis that adorn the cover aren't in the least bit deceptive. Ground-shaking mid-paced bangers such as the opening title anthem "Beyond The Gates Of Hell" and "Death Of A Vampire" check all the boxes of a modern heavy metal class, touched upon with a set of quasi-thrashing riffs and a brilliant succession of infectious hooks that are sure to command total audience participation on a subsequent tour. The ante is upped towards territory well with the speed metal realm of Primal Fear on swifter anthems like "From Darkness" and "Skullcrusher", and though Emanuelson's Glenn Hughes-inspired grit doesn't soar quite as high as Ralf Scheepers, it gets up there at key points. But for those who want a truly vicious metallic excursion that basically transcends the traditional heavy metal paradigm, the Bay Area-infused thrasher "Run For Your Life" could all but pass for something off the latest Overkill album, while the busy riff machine "Life Awaits" could definitely trade blows with late 80s Exodus.

In this day and age where the lion's share of newer bands seem to be digging deeper into the quarry of early 80s retro-metal arcana, it's refreshing to see a band that is both unapologetically modern in their approach, but also not lazy in any measurable respect. Though nothing on here reaches the technical wizardry of Gus G's school of shred via Firewind, there are some impressive solos and highly kinetic riff displays to be found on here courtesy of the aptly named Antoine "Riffman" Portier and newly acquired axe-master Stephane Rabilloud of fellow French metal powerhouse Nightmare fame. Likewise, the unrelenting fury put forth on each song that only finds a partial respite during the hauntingly looming introduction to the grand finale "We Are Free" (which could almost be a Nevermore tribute song it's so dark and morose sounding) makes for a high-impact experience that is strong enough to sate the appetite for auditory carnage of any thrasher, but is tailor made for an audience that also includes the modern power and heavy metal faithful. In other words, the tent for this album is quite large and deserves to be filled to capacity forthwith.