Hailing out of New Zealand Masters of Doom and sludge Beastwars return with their most powerful and meaningful album to date IV releasing on the 28th of June.IV is the fourth album from doom heavyweights Beastwars and follows on from the 2011 self titled release,2013’s Blood Becomes Fire, and the closing of the post apocalyptic trilogy the 2016 release The Death Of All Things. IV is an amazing album emotionally charged,powerfully visceral in it’s songwriting,epic in it’s musicianship doomy sludge and perfection in it’s delivery.This is an extremely personal album for vocalist Matt Hyde and follows on from his journey and battle with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma after undergoing six months of treatment in 2016 and now being in remission.IV is heavily shaped by this battle with mortality,being a father,his diagnosis and treatment.
Here are a couple of quotes from Matt about that time “Throughout the treatment I was numb,” he explains. “It’s interesting to have the ability to confront that, to confront the void, to confront the idea of mortality. I didn’t make peace with it either.” “I was lucky that I had music to express what had happened to me,” Hyde says. “A lot of people don’t have that. I was very lucky that we could make a record. I took the time to process it and turned it into something else.”
The first track Raise The Sword is the longest song on the album and is full of slow burning doomy riffs it was released as a single at the start of may.
“Wolves And Prey” is the next track and starts with the lyrics “Prey For Blood” some amazing lyrics on this track as is the rest of the album “In the dying light,at the end of life“.The next track “Storms Of Mars” is my favourite track on the album musically has some real cool low down doomy grooves and lyrically as a father I really connected with the lyrics on this track.”I want to be alive to see my child grow“.The fourth track “This Mortal Decay” is another great track of doom and decay and a fact we can not escape “You can never get away from your mortal decay”.”Omens” is the next track and was also the first single released off IV back in April so check out the film clip for it.
The sixth track on the album “Sounds Of The Grave” and just wow Matt’s vocals are just unreal another track I really connected with “living is better than being in the ground“.”The Traveller” starts with Matt’s amazingly visceral voice and a guitar which leads into the body of the track The Traveller has arrived and so have Beastwars.”Like Dried Blood” is the last track on this exceptional album that will ring and resonate in your ears and mind.For me this has been one of the most powerful and amazing albums I have listened to hands down. Beastwars‘ IV will be released on Friday June 28 and can be pre-ordered now – Limited Edition Vinyl, Cassette and T-Shirt Bundles are available at http://www.beastwars.bigcartel.com.
Beastwars are set for a tour of New Zealand and Australia starting on the 28th
28/6 – San Fran Wellington
29/6 – Galatos – Auckland
5/7 – Blue Smoke – Christchurch
6/7 – The Cook – Dunedin
11/7 – Crowbar – Sydney (w. Potion)
12/7 – The Gershwin Room – Melbourne (w. Dr. Colossus + Droid)
13/7 – Dead of Winter Festival – Brisbane
NZ Tickets from http://undertheradar.co.nz
Sydney and Dead of Winter Tickets available from http:// oztix.com.au
Melbourne Tickets available from http://moshtix.com.au
Beastwars Bandcamp – Facebook – Big Cartel –
Check out some of the other great reviews by the Crannk team at REVIEWS
