On new single ‘Hidden Window’, Be’lakor challenge preconceptions of heavy metal's constraints.
The thing about quote unquote ‘metal’ is that there’s no real umbrella, or the umbrella is broad enough that it’s more like an atmosphere.
Be’lakor brand themselves as ‘progressive death metal’, which feels like a high barrier for entry, but their fans might call them ‘melodeath’ (melodic death) or note their storytelling and the evocative nature of their music.
Keep up with the latest music interviews, news and reviews here.
They encapsulate a specific aspect of a subcategory of a single genre, and they’ve mastered their niche over the years. This is the first single from their fifth album – they debuted back in 2007 – and threatens to be the fullest extension of the songcrafting they’ve honed in that time period.
‘Hidden Window’ may feel like an outlier as an eight minute single, but that’s endemic to the genre. It’s not even the longest song on the upcoming album, which is probably the 12-minute ‘Much More Was Lost’. There’s so much more to come.
In this hidden window that they’ve ironically showcased to the public, the way the riffs, melody and vocals combine to create an atmosphere that threatens to spill over – while still being restrained – is an instant standout.
If you work to persevere past the mainstream barriers for entry – the presentation, descriptions, all the conventional metal archetypes – this is a subtle and impressive look into a record that should be more of a similar quality.
Be’lakor’s fifth record ‘Coherence’ releases through Napalm Records on October 29, 2021. Check them out here.
