Byzantine "Oblivion Beckons"

Well, we can safely assume that Byzantine won't be touring in support of their third full length, Oblivion Beckons, as they announced their breakup just a few days after its release date. I'm not heartbroken or anything, but it's certainly an odd and unexpected (for me) string of events.

Oblivion Beckons is an ambitious metal album that gives nods to everything from thrash and death metal to breezy prog and polished melody. Between the 13 tracks, which comprise a hefty 55 minutes of material, the band brings a variety of textures and techniques to their American-made, Lamb of God-ish metal foundation. You'll hear upbeat, melodic choruses -- some even with catchy harmonies -- droning, Meshuggah-influenced riffs and rhythms, lengthy guitar solos, soft instrumental segues, flashy arpeggios, and more; while each track has its own character, all 13 form a pretty cohesive album. Byzantine is a seasoned unit, so everything here sounds genuine, and the wide range of vocals manages to fit most everything the band does.

Still, while the album comes together pretty well, it's long. And since the band incorporates a lot of different ideas and sounds, listeners are bound to hear things they don't really like. Me? I'm not into the gruffer singing that slithers into the mix or the mid-album acoustic song. Overall, though, Oblivion Beckons is well done. I don't think I'd rush out to buy it, but it's worth a chance.

Byzantine - Nadir
Byzantine - Receiving End of Murder

You can pick 'er up here.