Label: Napalm Records
Release: 28/09/2012

By Laetitia
As I am not opposed to cross-over experiments in metal, the debut album of the Swedish band Beyond All Recognition attracted my attention. Their first full-length Drop=Dead combines metalcore with dubstep. Of course combining rock/metal and electronic music is nothing new (and also dubstep, like Korn’s album Path of Totality), still it’s not something you come across on a regular base.

The earlier description of Drop=Dead pretty much covers it. Metalcore riffs, a groove that dominates every song and brutal, screamish vocals (and sometimes clean vocals, f.e in “Brace Yourselves”, which features Björn Strid from Soilwork) make up the core of the tracks. The combination of these elements result in a very heavy record with an futuristic edge. Because of this, Beyond All Recognition will probably only really appeal to fans that are already into metalcore. There is simply too much influence of electronic music for a ‘regular’ metalhead to enjoy this. Also the question comes to mind, what will these Swedes be doing when the dubstep hype is over?

Rating: 6/10
Track list:
1. Characters
2. What We´ll Die to Defend
3. True Story
4. Drop = Dead
5. Arriving With the Sun
6. Brace yourself
7. Smoke and Mirrors
8. B*tch Please
9. Legends
10. End of Recognition
11. Smoke and Mirrors (Dirty & Twisted remix)