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Beast E.P.

    
       
       
       
     
             
Elysian Divide are a metal band from the UK formed in 2016, releasing their debut album 'Face Behind The Mask' in 2018. Featuring the fiery, fierce and, quite frankly, aggressive vocal style of the gorgeous Atashi Tada, the band released the five song E.P. 'Beast', in 2019.    
             
Imagine if you will a ménage a trois starring the musical styles of Pantera, Machine Head and In Flames, the resultant outcome would be Elysian Divide. The UK metallers blend aggression with melody, heaviness with harmony, and dark with light. The bands new release is a mix of pummelling riffs, thunderous rhythms and an amazing vocal performance by Atashi, delivering an incredible vocal range, stretching from growly, raspy and throaty, to melodic and all the way to soaring symphonic. The five songs on offer, four originals and one cover, all have their own character, with the cover song altered to fit the bands sound, and altered in a fucking great way too, more about that later...    
             
...but right now the E.P. gets underway in ferocious fashion, with 'Loser' thundering along all fire and brimstone with an aggressive vocal performance from Atashi. 'Loser' is brutal, slamming the listener around the head with fierce savagery. The venting of aggression and anger makes for a very violent jolt, a violent jolt that surprised me, but also pleased me. After all, it's good to vent. 'Inspired By Hatred' is a tad more melodic than the opener. but still remains menacing as it scurries past. The chorus break shows a more heavy metal orientated vocal performance, yet still has touches of the sinister about it.    
             
Right, the cover song. It is 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)' by alternative British rock band Radiohead off their 1995 album 'Bends'. This song has been covered by Peter Gabriel and The Darkness, and now by Elysian Divide. As 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)' gets underway, it is identical to the original, in terms of pace and melody, and a sublime vocal delivery. But without warning, Elysian Divide heavy it up, attacking the senses with some truly brutal riffing, yet maintain the songs original slow pace. Atashi really lets go with some throaty vocals that (am sure) actually spit venom. And the venom continues to flow with the title song 'Beast'. A three minute thunderstorm with riffing to lacerate the senses and vocals to put the fear of God into listeners, 'Beast' is a savage force, and will crush buildings, and leave only desolation in its wake. The final song is the seven minutes plus 'Storm', which carries on the menacing vibe that ripples through the E.P. but also delivers a soaring symphonic vocal performance from Atashi across the chorus.    
             
Overall, a ferocious and aggressive five song explosion of savagery, brutality and amazing vocals, 'Beast' is one of the years best releases,    
             
             
Review by Iron Mathew Collins    
             
Reviewed for Metal Gods TV    
             
             
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