MetalReview.com Review of I Declare War's Amidst The Bloodshed:

Band: Beyond Fatal
Release: Universal, Diabolical
Format: CD
Rating: 5/10

It's tough to make a dent in the brutal death metal genre these days. Much like the task of putting out a quality youth crew hardcore record, nailing the specific style is often grounds for being written off as a genre copy cat, whereas a broader songwriting scope means straying from that intended "classic" sound. Compton Records' Beyond Fatal is taking a legitimate stab at brutal death with their latest release, Universal, Diabolical, and the result is a bit shaky.

There is certainly a solid number of promising moments throughout Beyond Fatal's release, as the band definitely has an aptitude for great bass and guitar interplay amidst a sea of thick grooves. Since Morbid Angel and Suffocation both play an integral part in the band's sound, it's common to hear Beyond Fatal lock into an abundance of mid-tempo riffs while still steering clear of mundane chugging. "Ever Reign" displays just that with the group nailing a massive death metal groove broken up with off-kilter rhythms to prevent monotony. Even a few moments of slight Meshuggah influence can be heard throughout Universal, Diabolical.

But it's Beyond Fatal's inability to maintain a consistent attack that hurts the album. "Sorrow Reincarnate" has difficulty picking up steam in the beginning and isn't helped by a few awkwardly placed bass slaps/plucks. Whatever the technique, they blatantly stick out in the recording. The subdued piano interlude, "For Aria's Tears," feels even more out of place, proving that wandering too far away from the band's proclaimed style comes off as forced and a bit cheesy. And while the bass and guitar interplay is one of the best offerings from the disc, the presence of only one guitarist eliminates a lot of potential songwriting tricks. Sure, brutal death metal shouldn't be packed with melodic leads and Swedish solos, but the versatility of an additional guitarist could provide the nudge these guys need to write a disc with more consistent momentum.’Ä®

PS: Guys, in the future, you might want to avoid the temptation to throw in a secret song with a shitty drum machine about smoking weed. "Existential Impurity and the Quiescent Death" displays some impressively mature songwriting as it transitions between monstrous riffs and engaging bass lines and has no trouble maintaining a strong songwriting direction throughout its fifteen minute duration. Then a lame hidden song was tacked on at the end and almost ruins it. Leave the weed songs to Cephalic Carnage. They're better at it, anyway.

Bottom Line: Strong Morbid Angel and Suffocation influences mixed with a hint of Meshuggah allow Beyond Fatal to nail some impressive death moments when they hit their stride. Unfortunately, Universal, Diabolical also contains a number of less than remarkable content that hurts its consistency. In the end, this is just a middle of the road release.

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