Metaphors

Yosh appeared in the late-80’s alongside other talented Belgian acts like Target, Channel Zero, Chemical Breath, Evil Sinner, Asphyxia, Patriarch, etc. who wanted to put their small homeland on the world metal map, and also to continue the legacy of the pioneers Acid, the first female-fronted metal band, and one of the progenitors of the speed/thrash metal movement. Unlike the other mentioned acts, however, they chose the happier, “eagle fly free” side of the wave where speed, and to a lesser extent power, metal also took part resulting in a pretty capable, albeit naïve and slightly rough-around-the-edges, debut.

It’s the mid-90’s now, and apart from the more death metal-fixated Chemical Breath, the more epic-sounding, power metal-prone Patriarch, and the already-turned-groovers Channel Zero there wasn’t much happening on the Belgian metal scene. And this is the time when our friends from Yosh vote to hit with a second coming. The surprises for their fans would be big as the guys have decided on a major shift in style, one that doesn’t rely on speed anymore at all, and one that has much more in common with the technical/progressive side of the genre. “Destiny Eternity” gracefully introduces the new path taken with still quite dynamic pounding riffs and interesting melodic tunes the latter starkly contrasting with the new harsh shouty unmelodic vocals. There’s a weird sense of dark restless serenity about this opus reflected in the non-rushed riff applications and the dominant mid-paced, quasi doomy at times, delivery quite reminiscent of Risk’s “The Reborn”, maybe a bit more prone to melody as evident from “Perpetual” which is a really nice jumpy technicaller with echoes of the more stomping side of the Bay-Area (Defiance, Testament). “God’s Apparent” flirts with heavier, semi-balladic configurations and seldom leaves those confines the idyll nicely enhanced by the very good melodic lead sections.

“Imposed Silence” recalls early Meshuggah with its dry, sterile staccato rhythms which also involve the bass player more actively the dispassionate chugga-chugga riffage not leaving much room for any melodic developments. “Virus” quickly makes up with more intriguing decisions which turn into a spiral of bewildering technical build-ups and fast-paced escapades the leads again playing the role of the more laid-back mediator; and “Violins of Violence” is the next in line fine combination of melodic hooks and stomping monolithic riffs the march acquiring more officiant doomy dimensions towards the middle. “For Fear of Listening” attempts more lively gallops to a rather positive effect with even more attractive speedier excursions served in the second half; and “The Messiah” is a most prophetic closer, a progressive thrasher with myriad time and tempo changes among which the gallops play an important role with their driving impetuosity and deep lead-driven atmospherics, the latter occupying quite a bit of space towards the end, dragging some monotony with it.

There’s something modern-ish teasing the ear here so this opus can’t be viewed a fulsome tribute to the old school as some of the more mechanical riff-patterns betray its time of release. Still, it’s very far from a flop, or from a complete shedding of skin witnessed by the fanbase, befalling so many of the 80’s practitioners. It’s way more aptly constructed than the Channel Zero post-thrashy variations from around the same time, and dexterously avoids the groovy traps for most of the time. How long this go-between role was going to be played remained unclear, but the band released the material here minus the closing “The Messiah” a year later under the same title plus one “I” added to it, with almost no audible alterations to the compositions. Some esoteric meaning must have been attached to it, I don’t know; a tendency never developed further since the guys split up after one more demo, leaving whatever messages they were trying to deliver lost in translation.