ALBUM REVIEW: Body And Soul (reissue) – Beastmaker
Fresno in San Joaquin Valley is a thriving and creative city in the middle of California. With a strongly Hispanic community, the heavy Latin American influences can be seen throughout the city, especially in its world famous art deco cinema the Azteca Theater. With the raging summer heat and the vast expanses of California, there is definitely a penchant for all things spooky to come into your imagination. That is certainly the case for doom metal trio BEASTMAKER.
Having recently announced their return from their self-imposed hiatus, the prolifically creative occult doom connoisseurs have teamed up with Helter Skelter Productions and Regain Records to do a run of re-releases of the band’s earlier and bountiful EP releases alongside their final posthumously released Body And Soul. The record was the final flourish in a richly creative period for the band, and now the reissue sees the original four tracks accompanied by six additional tracks to create a full-length album of huge riffs and plenty of horror imagery.
Between the years 2015-2018, Trevor Church was holed up in his home studio with a fervent creativity inspired by a plethora of old school horror films. Church was especially inspired by the work of prestigious Italian filmmaker Mario Bava who is frequently referred to as frequently referred to as the “Master of Italian Horror” and the “Master of the Macabre”. Alongside the instantly recognisable imagery of theatre lobby posters of the period, Church had plenty of resources to draw on. As a result, BEASTMAKER’s series of EPs including Body And Soul is a brilliantly crafted crash course in old school horror, packed with vampires, apparitions, ghouls, monsters, the undead and much more.
Accompanying this vibrant and macabre imagery is a bountiful supply of BLACK SABBATH-esque riffs, shredding solos and superbly vintage sounding production. Alongside Church’s unique vocals, a raucous combination of crunchy distortion, razor sharp bass and chaotic, smashing drums bring these vivid horror stories to life. BEASTMAKER have always been a band to trigger nostalgic old school metal memories while simultaneously bringing an exciting freshness to the genre. With Body And Soul’s reissue (including tracks from the Who Is This? compilation) we can once again hear and appreciate the creative potency that Church possessed during this time, alongside the added excitement of knowing that the band are returning after a hiatus.
The original four tracks of the album are just as vivid and exciting as when they first came out in 2020. With the expanded tracks from Who Is This? making it a full-length album, Body And Soul feels more a like a complete entity. The continuous flow of riffs and ideas satisfies your appetite for more after the original closing track Lady Of The Water. Church has meticulously crafted these songs to illuminate on the various aspects of the horror genre lyrically, as well as utilising chromatic and Phrygian riffs to create intense, foreboding occult atmospheres.
The new Body And Soul album opens up with the first four tracks of the original EP. Title track Body And Soul comes in with a steady riff and a cascade of rolling, thunderous drum fills. With Ozzy Osbourne style phrasing and melodic patterns, Body And Soul feels like the result of an intimate affair between GHOST and BLACK SABBATH. Moving into Global Domination, BEASTMAKER are explicit in their references to the corruption in the world, using wonderful horror metaphors to reinforce the message. Ritual kicks off with a hypnotic melody and drum beat, bringing you into this frightful scenario with ease and reminiscent of old school metal bands like COVEN. The aforementioned Lady Of The Water is a bombastic end to the original portion of the album, a pounding, driving drum beat and vintage riffs swirl around you drenched in distortion.
Moving onto the Who Is This? tracks, they all carry on in the same vein, with a few stand outs. Night Of The Devil is a catchy is a catchy rock rager that incorporates eerie sounding organ synths before launching into a shredding solo. Why Can’t You See is the all out doom anthem on the album, a slow trudge of bluesy riffs and half time drums that’ll have you moving your head in appreciation. Alongside this is Cataclysm, which channels every ounce of War Pigs and makes it heavier. Dark and evil sounding, it really brings home the post-apocalyptic hell that the lyrics envision.
The final EP (and now album) from BEASTMAKER’s insane output during the two-year period of 2018-2020 definitely felt like a brilliant closing chapter for the band after they went on hiatus. Now, three years on, it feels a bit bloated as an album reissue, because the original EP and compilation were quite snappy and distinctive in their own right. Even so, it’s a chance for BEASTMAKER to engage with a whole new audience where Church‘s creativity can bring new fans to his music and vintage horror.
Rating: 7/10
Body And Soul (reissue) is set for release on May 26th via Helter Skelter Productions / Regain Records.
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