Beriedir - Liminal Spaces

Labels: Rockshots Records

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 10 Jan 2025

Tracklist:

1. Halo

2. Neon

3. In The Corner Of My Eyes

4. As Tight As Phantoms Hold

5. F.I.V.E.

6. More Than Starlight

7. Burnout

8. Anemoia

9. Massive

10. In The Liminal Space

This may be a little bit outside of my wheelhouse but at least I'm keeping up the support for Italian bands! Progressive metal is the sub-genre of choosing this evening with the newest album from Lombardy quintet Beriedir. Liminal Spaces saw it's release on both cd and digital formats via Rockshots Records way back in January. I have seen them being described as a progressive power metal band on some sites but I've also read that they've been compared to Leprous and Gojira as well. This is my first time hearing them, so let's see.

I did go through a phase of really liking power metal, way before I started the blog. I listened to bands like Hammerfall and Turisas amongst others quite a lot, though I drifted away from the sub-genre when I started discovering heavier styles. I guess I’m not a huge fan of the whole fantasy/theatrical side of metal and at first listen, I’m getting that vibe from Beriedir on album opener ‘Halo’; however, the mix of melodic instrumentation, clean vocals and harsh growls work together really well. Italy is known for it’s unique blend of melody, theater and progression after all. 

Talking of theater, the keyboard work is prominent throughout this album and it’s not overpowering on ’Neon’, which is good. The change of tempos and styles throughout keep things really interesting, while the clean vocals really come into their own when they hit the highest notes. It’s still too early to decide how I feel about this album but upon hearing the opening bars of ‘In The Corner Of My Eyes’ with it’s death metal-like brutality, I’m almost sold. There’s a lot going on here, which can sometimes be overwhelming. The heaviness later on is punctuated by melody, that may come as a relief to some. I want to give a special shoutout to the excellent guitar solo towards the end too.

‘As Tight As Phantoms Hold’ sees Beriedir circling back toward their more melodic roots, but with the addition of what sounds like programmed beats (though they’re probably organic, apologies if so!). The song’s latter half of a heady mix of everything that goes into their music. I’m writing this while being somewhat out of my comfort zone musically, so apologies if I’m talking nonsense. The imaginatively titled ‘F.I.V.E.’ is up next (I say that because it’s the album’s fifth song) and it has a euro-dance feel to it before the hard-hitting percussion and guitars kick in. That feeling stays throughout the song, which is a lot more approachable for those who stay away from anything that’s truly heavy.

There’s a subtle Queen influence flowing through ‘More Than Starlight’, which grows on you as it switches between angelic melody and startling heaviness, and back again later on. The way that Beriedir weave that heaviness into their otherwise symphonic sound is excellent during ‘Burnout’, as nothing sounds out of place or forced, which was a worry of mine when I hit play on this album. In fact, it’s a lot more technically adept than I expected it to be.

I do have a soft spot for piano-led, electronica-infused music (thanks to many hours of listening to Sleep Token), so the opening bars of ‘Anemoia’ hit the spot before Beriedir retreat back into a more familiar space. The remainder of the song is more of the same but that’s not doing it a disservice and it blends nicely into penultimate song ‘Massive”, which is brimming with broody atmosphere and seemingly slower tempo s throughout. Closing with ‘In The Liminal Space’, Beriedir offer up a final slab of really well performed metal that bridges the gap between clean and harsh sounds. 

Despite being slightly outside my wheelhouse (as already mentioned) when it comes to metal, this album has surprised me a lot. I guess I prejudged it and that’s a lesson I need to learn. Beriedir are very proficient musically and they have as few tricks up their sleeve as well. I’m not quite ready to fully embrace power metal again but if it’s as proggy/heavy as this, then who knows!

You can stream and purchase Liminal Spaces digitally, as well on CD below:-

CD copies are also available to purchase from Rockshots Records here:-

https://rockshots.eu/products/beriedir-liminal-spaces-cd

Beriedir - https://www.facebook.com/BeriedirOfficial

Rockshots Records - https://www.facebook.com/rockshotsrecords

Glass Mind - Dodecaedro

Labels: Rockshots Records

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 10 Jan 2017

Tracklist:

1. Babel

2. Caliente

3. Fu

4. Humedo

5. Inside The Whale

6. Frio

7. Detritus

8. Seco

9. Dodecaedro

The weekend is nearly here and let's face it, we all want to ease into Friday. That's where Mexican progressive instrumental band Glass Mind comes in. Their 2nd full-length "Dodecaedro" was released in January 2017 by the band themselves and was then picked up by European label Rockshots Records on licence, who gave it a wider release in Europe and North America during the year. It follows their 2011 debut album "Haunting Regrets". Glass Mind has been compared to the likes of Dream Theater (minus the vocals) and Scale The Summit, though I'm gonna let those comparisons go and try to appreciate their music for what it is.

Opening song Babel was one of the band’s earlier singles prior to the release of “Dodecaedro”. It was made available digitally by the band in May 2015. What strikes you immediately with the song is Glass Mind’s use of traditional Mexican and South American influences during the opening passage. Those influences remain subtle throughout the rest of the song, which is a great mix of progressive melody and metallic heaviness. Caliente is a more restrained and shorter piece. In fact it’s interesting that Glass Mind elects to sandwich sub-two minute pieces in between their longer songs, so as to not lose the listener. Fu is incredibly upbeat and contains a lot of different textures and musical layers, which for a quartet that solely relies on their instruments (and not heaps of electronic wizardry) is great to hear. 

Humedo has a space-age vibe to it and some great drumming to boot. There used to be a time when I though that instrumental progressive metal bands were all about histrionics and classical music, but as I’ve got older and discovered newer bands like Intervals and the like, I’ve realised that isn’t the case at all. Inside The Whale is a beaut and takes more from the modern era of instrumental bands, while still ensuring that Glass Mind’s incredible musicianship isn’t tampered with in the process. Glass Mind makes Frio into a brief fairytale-like musical interlude that sounds beautiful. 

Detritus was the earliest single that Glass Mind released (in March 2014, the other being Inside The Whale in July of the same year) and it’s twin guitar work is something else. The piano lends a more sensitive edge to the music as a whole, with extra rock tendencies flowing through it. There’s all kinds of things going on in penultimate song Seco, which features some great guitar effects and what sounds like s Sitar(?). Glass Mind end with the title-track, which is probably the most experimental song on the record. It sums up both how assured this quartet is but also how amazing instrumental metal can be. I know that I’m writing about this over a year after it’s release but it still stands up as an incredible album. More please!

You can only stream "Dodecaedro" via Glass Mind's bandcamp page below:-

If you want to purchase the album digitally or on cd, links to all the major outlets are available on the above page as well.

Glass Mind - https://www.facebook.com/glassmind/

Rockshots Records - https://www.facebook.com/rockshotsrecords/