Taipei Metal

Review: Bhelliom - The Colossal Tragedy, 2008

Singapore's Bhelliom are back with their second album, the first with new vocalist Vivek who took over the screaming duties from bass player Joe. Having been around since 2000 and touring around Asia, many in the Asian metal scene are familiar with Bhelliom's take on the melodic death Gothenburg sound. It's a little In Flames, some Arch Enemy, a bit of Hypocrisy with a touch of Soilwork thrown in. The result is an accessible yet punishing sound. Harmonized Euro leads are played over chugging, simplistic yet catchy rhythm guitar lines and the type of low end bass and drum work that, while not overly showy, gives the music a rock-solid foundation and heaviness one can't help but feel.

At times Bhelliom does mix things up with some odd time signatures and rhythms to keep things interesting. Though this is nothing new the added element of surprise keeps the music from becoming predictable or repetitive. Vocalist Vivek is a mix of Peter Tagtgren and Speed Strid, with  capable low end grows and piercing high end screams. Spoken word passages in the midst of some tracks, such as “At One Fell Swoop” and “Swallow the Splinter” add a sense of heightened drama.  The multi-layered vocal tracks on the latter give the delivery a little added punch, though the vocalist clearly packs enough power on his own. This is just for added effect, not a cover for any weaknesses. In Flames is obviously a huge influence on the guitar work, right down to the tone of Jesper Stromblad and Bjorn Gelotte. The excellent solo work adds something necessary to the songs rather than distracting from them, providing an essential element instead of being a superfluous addition for the sake of showiness. All in all,  The Colossal Tragedy is well-produced and mixed, but not overdone. It's a professional effort from a band that, after eight years, is starting to make a name for itself outside its native Singapore.