Beholder’s Cult – Horn of Death (EP)
Beholder’s Cult – Horn of Death (EP)
Self-Released
Release Date: 21/04/2025
Review by Victor Augusto
8/10
I don’t think I can consider myself a person who knows a lot about the underground scene where I live, even though I’ve been following what happens in Brasilia since 2007. I’ve had the feeling that Hardcore and Crossover were the styles that really became a trademark in this Brazilian city during the nineties. Then, Thrash Metal and Death Metal came strongly to the entire country after the explosion of Sepultura and Krisiun, as the main representatives of those two genres. After the lockdown, I thought we could be in front of a seed of what could turn into a good scenario for Doom Metal as well. Local bands as Isaurian, Into the Dust, and Soror were releasing material and playing some shows. A few of them even played in other cities.
Beholder’s Cult was one of the bands that fed this feeling inside me, and I can assure you they had a very important role in what I’m talking about. Their first EP, “Cult of Solitude” (2018), is something beautiful to hear, even for someone who is not used to this kind of music. Their first full album, “Our Darkest Home” (2021), showed a strong and mature band, who made a great impression not only in Brazil, but also in the US, being played on a few radio stations there. Now, they’ve surprised me again with this short EP, which is one of the rawest albums they’ve released. They’ve changed their sound a little, but still show the same DNA as before.
The main change was the keyboards appearing only in the background, and I thought it could be a negative point, considering this instrument was very present before. One example is my favourite song by the band. It has keyboards as the main guiding force for all the others, and funnily enough, that song is called ‘Guidance’. However, for my lucky ears, they basically sound the same, but with more space for a bit heavier and ‘dirtier’ guitar structure. The recording offers the impression that they forced it to sound rawer than before. It even made me feel a bit of Black Metal added over the music.
What didn’t change, though, is how well they mix dark melodies with strong and heavy music. Felipe Stock may be the guy who suffers most, putting his well-balanced vocals into this new, raw sound. The other guitar from Rafael Giraldi and the bass of Luciano Dias do a great job of completing this strong atmosphere. The drummer Vicky Rider is the new member, but he’s fitted in very quickly with the band’s spirit.
“Horn of Death” is a short taste of what is coming. It’s more raw and dense than before, but it is still the same Beholder’s Cult we know.
“Horn of Death” (EP – 2025) – Official Audio
TRACKLISTING:
01. Horn of Death
02. Sorrow
03. Empty Again
LINE-UP:
Felipe Stock – Guitars, Vocals
Rafael Giraldi – Guitars
Luciano Dias – Bass
Vicky Rider – Drums
LINKS:
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