AN NCS PREMIERE: BEYOND GRACE — “ACOLYTES”

 Premieres  7 Responses »
Aug 292016
 

Beyond Grace-Acolytes-3

 

If you’re feeling sluggish, out-of-sorts, or just generally fed up with the boredom and frustration of your existence, we have a sure-fire remedy, the kind of death metal that’s akin to grabbing a live power line with both hands, while ringing wet, and letting the current jolt your spine and set your head on fire.

The name of the song we’re helping premiere is “Acolytes“, and it’s a new free single by Beyond Grace from Nottingham, England, presented through the medium of a music video. The song features a guest vocal appearance by Abysmal Dawn’s Charles Elliott, in addition to the vocals of Beyond Grace’s regular frontman and visionary member, our own Andy Synn. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: BEYOND GRACE — “OMEGA POINT”

 Premieres  15 Responses »
Jan 222015
 

 

Today we bring you the North American premiere of a new single and lyric video from Beyond Grace, a UK-based band that features our own Andy Synn as vocalist/lyricist. The song’s name is “Omega Point”, it features cover art by Michael Cowell with video production by Kevin Desjardin, and it’s the first song to be revealed from the band’s new album Seekers. As of today, the band are also making the song available for download on Bandcamp.

“Omega Point” melds together jolting, heavy-grooved riffs and drum work, darting guitar flurries, and swirling melodies that are as fluid as the the rest of the music is spine-snapping. It’s the kind of song that successfully joins high-voltage, technically impressive instrumental assaults that punch really hard with beautiful melodic guitar soloing that seems to glide effortlessly. The result is a song that’s memorable, as well as immediately galvanizing. Continue reading »

BEYOND GRACE: “MONSTROUS”

 Album Reviews, SHORT BUT SWEET  10 Responses »
Mar 262014
 

My friend and NCS colleague Andy Synn is the vocalist for Beyond Grace. My objectivity about the band’s new EP, Monstrous, could therefore be called into question. But the truth (so help me Satan) is that I’m writing about it for the same reason I write about every other song, EP, or album I choose to write about: I’m enthusiastic about the music. (Andy, by the way, doesn’t even know I’ve written this review.)

The three songs on Monstrous represent a change of course for this band formerly called Bloodguard, so if you happen to be familiar with their work, its time to turn the page and listen again. What you will hear is something like Spawn of Possession with more convulsive grooves, or Blotted Science with unexpected digressions and more sharp teeth, or The Black Dahlia Murder with an added progressive bent.

If you’re up on those references, then you may be ready for the combination of jabbing, jamming riffs, serpentine melodies, sparkling solos, and an enveloping atmosphere of alien menace that make up Monstrous. Continue reading »

THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT / TALANAS / BEYOND GRACE — UK TOUR REPORT

 Concert Reviews, Metal News  8 Responses »
Mar 142014
 

(Andy Synn provides this report on the recently completed UK tour by The Monolith Deathcult, Talanas, and Andy’s band Beyond Grace.)

So I’ve been harangued into putting together a short (relatively) report of the happenings and happenstances of our tour last month. Frankly, I’m not entirely sure where to start as I’m writing this now, other than to say that – despite the inevitable stresses that came about – I wish I was still on tour now. Playing a show every night, to new people, in a new place… well, that 30 mins onstage you get makes all the rest of it worthwhile.

DAY 01 – BRIGHTON, STICKY MIKE’S FROG BAR

My first piece of advice for any of you going on tour – try to get a good night’s sleep the night before you leave. Definitely don’t stay up late sending out digital promos and organising the launch of your new EP so that you only have time to get in 3 hours before having to go collect the van, drive it back to load your backline, then drive down to London (and then on to Brighton). Yeah, don’t do that. Continue reading »

BEYOND GRACE: “MONSTROUS”

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  14 Responses »
Feb 252014
 

I have a pain in my butt, the kind that Preparation H will not ameliorate: The old fucking fay job is impinging on my precious blog time. This is the main reason why we have a grand total of only two posts today, this being the second one.  It will continue to have its way with me over the next couple of days, so NCS content may continue to be scarce and my butt will continue to hurt. My NCS comrades are also being diverted by such distractions as sleeping late, cleaning their rooms, and evading creditors. One of them is also currently on tour in the UK with one of his bands.

The one who is on tour is Mr. Andy Synn, the band in question is Beyond Grace (formerly known as Bloodguard), and the tour in progress is headlined by The Monolith Deathcult, with additional support from Talanas and an appetizing assortment of other bands at each venue. Details about that are available here.

But the main point of this post, other than advising of my hurting butt and reminding you about that tour, is to alert you to the fact that Beyond Grace have just released their debut, three-song EP, the name of which is Monstrous. Continue reading »

BLOODGUARD ARE NOW BEYOND GRACE (AND THEY HAVE A NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO)

 Metal News, Premieres, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  11 Responses »
Feb 062014
 

As many of you know, NCS writer Andy Synn is the frontman for a UK band named Bloodguard — or rather they used to be named Bloodguard. As of today, the Bloodguard name has been laid to rest. Henceforth, the band shall be known as Beyond Grace. And in addition to spreading the word about that change, we’re delighted to bring you the intergalactic premiere of the band’s new video for the song “Panopticon”, which is also being released via Bandcamp as a single.

But before premiering the video I’m going to turn this post over to Mr Synn, who explains the name change, future plans for the band, and other news. — Islander

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So… where to start? The decision to change our name was not an easy one to make. We realise it comes with potential costs, but it also has a host of benefits we just couldn’t overlook.

Why the new name? A lot of reasons really. The old one doesn’t really suit us anymore, it fits awkwardly in some ways, and is surprisingly hard to get people to remember. Whereas the new name suits the lyrical direction – more socio-political, more transhumanist – and the new sound of the band – heavier, more technical, more death metal – much better.

Plus it sounds way cooler when you growl it onstage.

Bloodguard is no more… Beyond Grace is born. Continue reading »

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