From Beyond ‘One Year’ CDEP/DD 2012

From Beyond ‘One Year’ CDEP/DD 2012From Beyond are a power trio from Houston, Texas who are heavily influenced by the blues metal roots of the likes of Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer as well the more experimental leanings of Hawkwind and early Pink Floyd; As such their sound is a classic mix of loose jams and driving riffs that captures that seventies rock sound, but has enough left field deviations in their direction to keep your interest.

This is evident from the off as swirling, almost carnival like keyboards wash over the intro and are swept aside by a heavy deep bass rumble that gives way to urgent, heavy guitars and soaring clean vocals.

Sounding much weightier than their number would suggest, the three members of From Beyond (Robert McCarthy – guitars/vocals, Dick Beeman – drums/vocals and Tony Kaelin – bass/vocals) have clearly spent time developing their playing relationship and have a chemistry that allows them to flex their creative muscles as heard on the swinging percussive rhythm section of ‘The Heavy Weight’, which manages to combine loose jamming with ebb and flow dynamics that climaxes with all the members combining on vocals with the vocal hook, ‘The weight drags me down’.

Far from just being a practice room full of stoners, the band show they have an emotional side too with slowburning track ‘Warhorse’ providing a real moment of introspection before the plodding tip toe like guitar intro to the title track starts an epic length piece of music that is easily the finest tune on the EP.

‘One Year’ shows that From Beyond have ambition to match their talent as the sprawling track mutates through its running time, from menacing to ragged and finishing with a glorious, swirling rock out that almost brings it full circle back to the start of the release. With another EP (Hexagram) slated for release this Halloween it shows From Beyond have plenty of ideas that beg for your attention. If you like your music as sonically heavy as an anvil and yet as spacey as Patrick Moore, as retro as your Dad’s wardrobe and yet as refreshing as an ice cold pint, then head over to their bandcamp page and have a listen.

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Label: Self Released
Website: http://musicfrombeyond.bandcamp.com

Scribed by: Mark Hunt-Bryden