As metal spawns an ever-growing army of combo meals, sometimes it’s nice to go back to the basics. Finland’s Byron, previously reviewed here by our gone-but-not-forgotten Huck n’ Roll, peddle a brand of occult rock with dashes of NWoBHM. Led by drummer Johannes Lahti—styling himself as Byron V—the band has emerged four years after their debut The Omega Evangelion with follow-up Chapter II: The Lotus Covenant. One would imagine Lovecraftian themes of impending doom and epic tales of heroism should provide fertile ground for the fuzzy proto-metal world of the ‘70s. With that in mind, and conscious of the hurdles presented by their debut album, I put on my best oversized fire cloak, lit some candles of intention, and pressed play.
Although Byron play a time-worn style of metal, they don’t confine themselves to a single sonic palette. Early doom tends to be the jumping-off point for occult rock—think Black Sabbath and Pentagram—but that’s not the case with Byron. Chapter II… takes cues from the mysticism of Led Zeppelin (“Sword of the Apostle,” “The Golden Galley”), the swagger of Deep Purple (“Resignation,” “Return to Celephais”), and even the galloping theatrics of early Maiden (“The Lotus Covenant,” “Sometimes Dead is Better”). Melding all these influences is a tall order for any act, and Chapter II occasionally shows its seams as a result. But the more time I spent listening, the more I realized this is an energetic, well-performed, and most importantly fun record.
While bandleader Lahti takes his share of the spotlight with the curtain-raising drum fill of “Overture,” vocalist Johanna Eteläkari shoulders much of the weight of Byron’s sophomore outing. The band wisely jettisoned the weaker harsh vocals of their previous effort to place Eteläkari front and center, and the album’s all the better for it. Her performance guides a smörgåsbord of fist-pumping tracks, from the riff-fests of “The Lotus Covenant” and “The X,” to the ominous Hammond B3-led “Resignation,” and the epic storytelling of “Sword of the Apostle.” The orchestration of Chapter II lends variety and life to the album, featuring a bevy of accompanying instruments including strings, auxiliary percussion, and an omnipresent tambourine. Noteworthy guitar solos anchor Byron’s sound with classic heavy metal idiosyncrasies, but they also provide dynamic shape propelling the song rather than segmenting it (“Sometimes Dead is Better,” “The X”).
Taken track-by-track, a lot of Chapter II makes for a kick-ass occult throwback, but the album as a whole doesn’t digest quite as easily. Excluding obligatory opener “Overture,” the album only features 7 proper tracks delivering 33 minutes of runtime. Normally I’d praise self-editing and the absence of bloat, but with 7-plus minute “Sword of the Apostle” smack in the middle, I’m left with the feeling that Byron actually shortchanged the album. Songs tend to barrel through tight structures and then end rather abruptly (“The Lotus Covenant,” “The X”). The band proves they are no one-trick pony by showcasing multiple instrumental tracks, a spoken word segment, an acoustic-driven ballad, and at least two literary references—Lovecraft and Stephen King—amongst the standard sing-along choruses and shredding leads. But for all this variety it’s tough to parse out any musical through-line due to the brevity of the album. Byron rarely stay in one place long enough for me to absorb their take on the style. As much as I appreciate the skill on display, I’m left missing the definition of the band and the album alike.
That being said, Chapter II: The Lotus Covenant is still a good album that needs to build a greater sum from its parts. The band has a lot going for them in a solid lineup, solid performances, and a vibrant sound that feels resurrected and yet original. But the album as a whole is the art form at stake here, and adherents to the heady days of vinyl should keep that goal foremost in mind. Still, if you’re looking for burly riffs, catchy choruses, classic guitar solos, and a whole lot of tambourine you could do worse than Byron’s latest effort. I look forward to the band’s next album with cautious optimism, and until then I’ll turn on Chapter II when I’m burnt on genre word salad and need to tune in and drop out.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Goatmancer Records
Websites: facebook.com | Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: January 26th, 2024
