Tyrant Eyes and the Underdark have existed long before any metal band took the name Beholder. However, BEHÖLDER from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the first band of its name to so vividly capture the essence and eerie magic of classic Dungeons & Dragons—the very source from which this many-eyed, many-tentacled horror emerged nearly half a century ago.
“Awaken from a vision of the deep
A blood red sky, hordes of chanting masses
And powerless, I watched them summon him
Trembling with fear, he locked me with his gaze…”
Thus begins, with sweeping, majestic riffs, their debut album, “In the Temple of the Tyrant”, opening with the formidable “A Pale Blood Sky”, which immediately sets the tone for the record’s musical direction—a grandiose epic doom sound infused with dark and commanding power metal elements.
Formed in late 2021 by guitarist Carlos Alvarez, the band features singer John Yelland, guitarist Matt Hodsdon, drummer Andrew Julkowski, and bassist Michael “Oneirous” Sanchez.
BEHÖLDER’s songs weave cautionary tales from the grimmest, most foreboding realms of fantasy, set against a backdrop of colossal riffs and elegant yet powerful melodies. Their promise for “In The Temple Of The Tyrant” has been to unleash a series of “dark tales of adventure filled with magic, mayhem, and riffs heavier than a Storm Giant’s ass!”
Promise fulfilled!
With half of the album’s tracks surpassing the six-minute mark—none shorter than about five and a half minutes—their compositions are grandiose and expansive, yet masterfully structured and engaging throughout. They intertwine beautiful melodies, powerful and memorable riffs, well-placed solos, and intelligent transitions.
The choral elements in the choruses often evoke BLIND GUARDIAN, while the overall doom atmosphere strongly recalls CANDLEMASS, SOLITUDE AETURNUS, and SORCERER. Hints of JUDICATOR, MEMENTO MORI, GRAVEN SIN and ISOLE also emerge, yet everything remains firmly rooted in epic doom and heavy/power metal, blended in a truly remarkable way!
A stunning example of BEHÖLDER’s musical style is “Eyes Of The Deep”, positioned in the middle of the tracklist and featuring Tomi Joutsen of AMORPHIS.
Let me be clear: there is no weak track on this album—each one is an outstanding display of doom/power mastery. The more melodic and lyrical “For Those Who Fell” and “Summoned & Bound” brim with dramatic expression and intensity, while the darker, more epic “A Pale Blood Sky”, “Into the Underdark”, and “I Magus” add a grand sense of foreboding. Meanwhile, “Dungeon Crawl” and “Draconian (Slave or Master)” bring in a more rhythmic, aggressive, and sharper approach. However, what truly sets BEHÖLDER apart is the incredible cohesion of the tracklist; each song is interconnected, yet through an enviable multi-layered lens that makes them distinct at the same time.
So, stand brave and face BEHÖLDER—your courage will be richly rewarded with a musical feast!
This album is an absolute KILLER, and that’s NOT in the eye of the beholder—if you allow me the pun!
It’s been produced by Carlos Alvarez, with mixing and mastering by Ronnie Björnström (SORCERER, AEON, NIGHTRAGE, PAGANIZER, and many others), and the stunning artwork was created by Zsofia Dankova.
“In the Temple of the Tyrant” will be released by Black Lion Records on April 25th on both CD and double LP.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
You can pre-order both the CD and DLP here.
