Beastwars Blood Becomes Fire

Beastwars is a Sludge/Doom/Stoner Metal Band from New Zealand

The members are:

Clayton Anderson

Nathan Hickey

Matt Hyde

James Woods

Beastwars blazed onto the scene back in 2011 with their blistering S/T debut album. It won rave reviews across the globe for its collection of great songs, which showed the band could write a mean fine riff. I rate that album very highly too. It showed Beastwars were a true talent and a band to watch out for.

Well two years later Beastwars are back with their incredible new album – Blood Becomes Fire – A 40 minute heavy pounding monster forged in the pits of space and beyond. When Beastwars announced some time ago they were going to take their time to record their new album no one could have guessed what they would create. Until now!!!

What they have created is an absolute monster of gigantic Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs. Beastwars have added a more apocalyptic feel to their music. They have embraced their progressive sludge metal side with open arms and it has taken over the entire bands being. Beastwars are a band reborn. They are ready to conquer and destroy everything in their wake.

First track – Dune – shows the band have taken their music onto another level. A more out of this world apocalyptic level. Matt’s vocals have a destructive nature about them. The band is heavier than ever. Guitars and drums feel like meteorites battling and colliding violently in space. A great start to a superb album.

Up next is – Imperium – another hard-hitting track full of sublime riffs driven along by a pounding bass line, which Lemmy would be proud of. Matt’s vocals take a twisted turn here as he adds a darker grizzled effect to his usual vocal style. Excellent lyrics make this one of the albums standout tracks.

The next track – Tower Of Skulls - is my fave song on the album and possibly the best track that Beastwars have written so far. Everything about this track is huge. Riffs, vocals, melodies and lyrics. This is where the album goes into overdrive. It is heavy in every possible sense of the world. If there ever was a song that describes the end of the world then this is it. Apocalyptic by nature and apocalyptic by fury. The video for this track is epic and I mean EPIC!!!. Matt is in his element preaching to you like an out of control madman about the end of the world. You will not notice the devastation and destruction going around you as you are blown away by the amazing riffs on show. This could give Isis or Neurosis a run for their money especially with the Post-Metal vibes that show up on the track.

You would think that an album with three outstanding tracks of this quality would simply run out of steam or ideas half way through. Well not here. The album simply grows into something more profound. The riffs become heavier, ideas more advanced and Matt stakes his claim as one of the best frontmen currently out there.

Other excellent tracks to check out are – Rivermen, Caul Of Time, Blood Becomes Fire and the amazing last track – The Sleeper. A 5:34 minute ride that takes time in building up the atmosphere by playing quiet ambient riffs before breaking out in a loud wall of violent noises.

It is a fitting end to such an incredible album. You do not know what you have just experienced but you know you will be coming back for more. If you miss the earlier heavier days of Mastodon and Baroness then let me introduce you to your favourite new band. That is seriously how great Beastwars are. Beastwars can be mentioned in the same breath as those two great bands.

All in this entire album is an incredible experience I cannot recommend highly enough. It is a contender for one of the best albums of 2013.

Blood Becomes Fire is going to launch Beastwars on a global scale. End Of.

01. Dune - 03:00
02. Imperium - 04:35
03. Tower of Skulls - 04:29
04. Realms - 03:03
05. Rivermen - 04:09
06. Caul of Time - 03:06
07. Ruins - 03:32
08. Blood Becomes Fire - 03:08
09. Shadow King - 04:23
10. The Sleeper - 05:34