ALBUM REVIEW: EP.1-2 (reissue) – Beastmaker
In the sun-baked, dark depths of Fresno, California, the year is 2015 and Trevor William Church is holed up in his home studio watching a plethora of old school horror films and taking in the work of prestigious Italian filmmaker, the “Master of the Macabre” Mario Bava. The ensuing tidal wave of inspiration would kickstart a period of intense creativity for Church and BEASTMAKER. Now the band have teamed up with Helter Skelter Productions/Regain Records to reissue the ten EP series along with an expanded edition of 2020’s Body And Soul (utilising tracks from the Who Is This? compilation).
With the initial roll out of the reissues tentatively scheduled to run from April to November, there is plenty of BEASTMAKER to feast on this year. Due to the prolific creativity behind the EPs, they are all being paired off to create full-length releases, so EP.1-2 will be followed by EP.3-4, EP.5-6 and so on until the 11th and final EP turned full-length Body And Soul. This comes as the band have announced their return from a self-imposed hiatus, and are looking for a triumphant return this year.
Release and compiling schedule aside, EP.1-2 kicks off this incredible feat of musical creativity as it indulges in its influences conceptually and musically as the overarching vision that Church had in mind began to come to fruition. With creepy samples taken from these retro films and ominous organ synths appearing periodically throughout, BEASTMAKER really set the tone for what was to come. There is a strong BLACK SABBATH influence that runs through the album and the original EPs, yet BEASTMAKER manage to utilise this influence to create heavy contemporary riffs that also bring a brilliant vintage metal nostalgia with them. With plenty of sinister and gothic vibes transcending the album, you can imagine scenes being played out in these vintage movies or on the advertising posters in the theatre lobby.
With this new reissue series, a new audience has access to BEASTMAKER‘s bombastic doom sound. Musically, the band have consistently been about big, crunchy distortion, driving drums and growling bass lines to create dark, foreboding and ominous atmospheres. Throughout EP 1-2 you can indulge in the band’s raw and powerful riffing. Church meticulously brings to life the various areas of retro horror lyrically; his imagery is captivating and conjures up a plethora of frightful and terrifying scenes. Combined with his unique, eerie vocals, it’s easy to see why BEASTMAKER found a spiritual home in the realms of horror.
The only thing that could possibly hinder these reissues is the noticeable differences between the two halves of the album. Where there has been no remix or remaster, and the raw production is preferred to keep both EPs’ rough charm and rugged character, the switch is noticeable. So while the reissues are a great idea, some of the songs stood out better on their own respective EPs. In a full release context some of the songs get lost in between the bigger tracks with more prominent features. For example Carnival becomes less memorable alongside tracks like Demon Witch Child and Mortal Souls. With the rest of the series following this format, it does raise the question as to why the stronger songs aren’t being complied into a stand alone hits album from this illustriously creative period for the band.
As with many reissues, there is always that handful of tracks that you’ll always go back to. In this case the aforementioned Demon Witch Child and Mortal Souls are anthemic doom tracks filled with drama and vivid imagery that shows the best of BEASTMAKER during this period. Another example is the more stoner, up-tempo Colors Of The Dark with its creepy into and piercing piano note which really builds the atmosphere for the album as it is intense and jarring enough to be effective in creating a chill that runs down your spine. Black Butterfly is another stand out track that tells a macabre story about a female butterfly that is ravenous for flesh – a track full of huge doom riffs and catchy chorus melodies. Spread Your Wings follows a similar pattern to round off the album strongly. The tracks in between are strong but ultimately don’t stand out as prominently in this full-length context where they did in the EP setting.
Overall, BEASTMAKER have a great occult doom sound and this reissue series will no doubt draw in new fans. Yet something about rehashing old EPs as “new” full-length albums feels a bit haphazard. Even though this is only the first lot it already feels a little too much in such a short space of time. You can see how this could build momentum for a future new release but with the lack of anything new to accompany it, it doesn’t keep your attention for that long despite the strength of Church’s songwriting.
Rating: 6/10
EP.1-2 (reissue) is set for release on May 26th via Helter Skelter Productions / Regain Records.
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