Beholder - Lethal Injection

*=Staff's pick	The Overlook Hotel Mr. Grady* No Religion Blackout Of Mind Daydream Everywhere I Go Far Away Stay* Lay Down the Law Lethal Injection

Genre	Power/Heavy Metal	P. Wire, L. Sidhe	Vocals
Tracks	10	Markus Mayer	Guitar
Runningtime	41 Min.	Matt Treasure	Guitar
Label	Dragonheart Records	Andy McKein	Bass
Release	30 August 2004	Destruction	Drums
Country	Italy	Mark Vikar	Keyboards
Similar artists	Labÿrinth, Vision Divine

Italy's Beholder are back with their 3rd outing, and it continues pretty much where the others (The Legend Begins from 2001, and Wish For Destruction from 2002) have left us. Many elements in their music are recognised from some of their fellow countymen Labÿrinth and Vision Divine. Double bass drums, atmospheric keyboard walls, the classical touches in the melodies, although it is sometimes a tiny bit more sharper and tougher in the edges then the mentioned bands. A few thrashy and heavy riffs that breaks off here and there, but for the most it is designed to fall right in under the "italian" files in the record stands. It's up to you if you want to consider that a good or a bad thing.

Musically there is not much more to say than the above, really. If you are familiar with the genre you know what to expect. Some progressive, smooth and technically well played melodies, mixed with some more straight forward riffs and with lot of focus on melodic bridges and refrains. Vocally they are using the by now pretty common concept one male/one female singer. This albums, and the bands, big asset is the voice of female Leanan Sidhe who - mildly put - is characteristic and sound more like a goth singeress than the average heavy metal one. She is that type that all the time is balancing at the edge of the keys and you just wait for her to step on the wrong side, but she always manage to stay on the right side. It is very charming if you ask me, but many people will find this annoying.

The male part of the vocal ensamble, Patrick Wire, however, is a bit weaker and would do good with some concentrating on staying within a certain range instead or jumping around and trying out a lot. Some more pondus behind it would also be welcome, to give a more steady and solid impression to the music.

Two totally meaningless piano ballads at the end of the album (Far Away and Lethal Injection) drag down the grade to a more modest level, since they are nothing but sleeping pills with nothing that attract at all.

All in all a decent work, and the album will be played more than once in my household, but I'm not sure it will stand the test of time especially long. It does not in any aspect stand out from anything in the genre of today. On the other hand it does not fall behind either.

Production	Vocals	Compositions
6,5	7	6

Summary
6 chalices of 10 - Tommy