“We Dream to Believe” for Stellar and Dynamic Metal:  Beyond Creation Plays Entire Algorythm album Magnificently at Brick by Brick, San Diego.

October 4th, 2019

              Nearly a year old, and already making waves within the Technical Death Metal community, Algorythm, from Montreal, Quebec Canada’s own Beyond Creation, an outstanding elite Progressive/Technical Death Metal band going on 14 years strong.  Four years after their sophomore release, Earthborn Evolution, Algorythm takes the everlasting strength of Beyond Creation’s profound technical ability, as well as shimmering, colorful atmosphere within the texture of the riffs, music presentation and overall balance the band displays.  It’s such a pleasure to witness the entire album played live on their current North American tour.  As well as a powerful headliner, the rest of the tour is nothing to sneeze at, as Fallujah, Arkaik, and Equipoise.  Judging from the buzz with pictures posted of this current tour, it seems that everyone is showing up proper, and I was thrilled to see the support all of the bands were getting, and seeing it up close and personal, tonight would be a most epic evening.

              You can’t go wrong with traveling to San Diego.  With over 300 breweries, breathtaking beaches and sights, as well as a strong Metal community, any possible excuse to visit San Diego, I’ll venture forth each time.  With that said, the line was already wrapped around the venue, as fans were eager to be a part of this stunning Metal evening.

              First up tonight, Equipoise from Pennsylvania, a band I honestly have not heard until this show.  Their prolific Technical/Progressive Death Metal style was a joy to watch, as the riff structures reminded me of intense Classical piano playing.  The riffs would juggle and cut through butter with a hot knife, it made the chaos even more welcoming.  Not only in Beyond Creation, but bassist extraordinaire Hugo Doyon-Karout, also plays for Equipoise.  The frenetic energy of his compelling skill and awestruck ability have the fans cheering loudly, already aware of what the night would entail from beginning to end.  With a little research, I know the band has a ton of members, and a few live members currently playing, with vocalist Michael Alvarez belting gurgals and participating with the audience throughout their 30-minute set.  The songs they played were rather short, but the impact within the band’s technicality and speed of their leads, made their set memorable and a great indicator for the evening to come. 

Equipoise Setlist

1. Illborn Augury

2. Sovereign Sacrifices

3. A Suit of My Flesh

4. Eve of Promised Day

5. Waking Divinity

6. Ecliptic

7. Squall of Souls

Brick by Brick was packed and the vibe in breezy San Diego, continues to highlight this fantastic city.  Not a moment to waste, Arkaik coming up next on the bill, and unlike the rest of the bands on the bill, Arkaik isn’t quite as Progressive Death Metal as the others, but their dedication to heavy riffs and still complicated structures, were still appreciated by this crowd throughout their set.  Unlike bland Metalcore bands, Arkaik’s breakdowns were not one-note (literally what many bands do), subpar, or lazy.  Taking their style of a more Brutal Death Metal kind, their musicianship kept their impactful, droning breakdowns tasteful, with vocalist and longest tenured member of the band, Jared Christianson warming up the crowd with some of the best low gutturals of the evening.  I believe I saw Arkaik a few years ago, but at this show, I remember them more vividly, and was impressed by their live performance.  For those who want a little less Progressive in their Death Metal, and want a little extra dose of heaviness, Arkaik will scratch that itch for you.

Second to last on this bill, it’s been about two years since I’ve seen Fallujah, and I know since then, the band has gone through some changes.  With their newest release Undying Light out, and a brand-new singer, I was wondering how the band would sound presently.  Honestly, I’m not sure why certain Fallujah fans criticized the new singer, I thought he was great!  Antonio Palermo’s energy throughout their set was far more active and I really don’t know how to describe it, it just fitted well.  He performed admirably onstage, the vocal range he laid out, there was just this outlining level of positivity, it felt joyous to see.  Anything from The Flesh Prevails is a scrumptious treat to consume, “Carved from Stone” as one of the highlights of said record, guitarist Scott Carstairs’s blissful melodies and crisp harmonious tones, set up the gorgeous atmosphere that lit up the Brick by Brick venue.  I suppose fans can be fickle (and when I say, “can be”, it translates into a yes.), and admittingly I have not heard their newest record yet, but the material live was better than I was anticipating.  “Glass House” and “Hollow” from Undying Light, owned the stage.  The melodies were still there, and the music was actually more intense then their previous record, Dreamless.  Fallujah’s 45-minute performance tonight, was one of the best I’ve seen them.  With a new quality singer in the lineup, and a strong new 7-month-old record to tour with, Fallujah was a quality main support for this tour.

       As the evening waned into dusk and a beautiful Metal atmosphere and community, the very best for last would be in the form of Beyond Creation.  Attending last year’s monumental tour of Obscura, Beyond Creation and Archspire, Beyond Creation’s incredible performance was highly anticipated, yet slightly subdued due to the limit of their non-headlining set.  Tonight’s performance would be a lot longer, including playing their entire newest record, Algorythm.  The material on this record is the most melodic and delicate of their discography thus far, and it translated live ever so soundly.  “Surface’s Echoes” pleasantly engaged the crowd with Hugo’s sadistic low note slap bass and menacing tone the song provided.  The trembling techniques and ease to the level of playing Beyond Creation executes, is astonishing and continues to show the elite side of Extreme Metal even hardcore fans aren’t familiar with.  One of favorites on the album, “The Inversion”, with it’s frenetic songwriting and chaotic double counterpoint attack, mixed with the clean riffing, around the mid-point of the track, showing their astonishing level of talent and detail.  Drummer Philippe Boucher’s rapid drum fills and cymbal expertise brought the music to such heights, providing the heaviness to the band’s Death Metal sound, as well as the light feather touch of the magical detail Beyond Creation induces within their complex sound. 

              The highlight of the evening, and the founder of Beyond Creation, guitarist/vocalist Simon Girard.  To witness the embodiment of his vision of the band, tremendous guitar knowledge and ability to play every note with such familiarity and ease, it brought a embracing joy, able to witness such a high level of Metal, that many out there couldn’t imagine existing.  Witnessing the remaining two songs on the set after Algorythm, Simon’s masterful creation of “Omnipresent Perception” played to the audience in a rambunctious frenzy, was a memorable reminder of my first time hearing the band.  The growing atmosphere and next level songwriting were ever present in this track, as most consider to be their “#1.”  It was astounding to know the band was incredibly capable of this in 2011.  So much have occurred since, with new bands taking over the landscape, as well has veteran acts finding a second chance of their primes.

              Playing literally from every album, Beyond Creation’s entire display of captivating Progressive Technical Death Metal, truly takes a life of its own, with the crowd engaged and responding to every track of their set.  No matter how small the group is in terms of appreciating this level of Metal, the ones who get to attend these events, become completely different people by the show, and that’s a quality of life that can never be replicated.

              As extremely talented and advanced Beyond Creation was back in 2005, they continued to grow in every aspect of their ability and emotional bonds.  Algorythm is a prime example, as the band excels in their dedication to Extreme music, in a stellar Progressive, masterful blend.  With the incredibly powerful and positive response of their current tour, Beyond Creation are slowly taking over the elite Metal landscape.  As a guitarist, Metal nerd, passionate individual, and student of the game, I appreciate every note and contribution from Beyond Creation.  Do not miss this band, of any date they post.     

Beyond Creation Setlist

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Algorythm in its entirety:

1. Disenthralll

2. Entre Suffrage et Mirage

3. Surface’s Echoes

4. Ethereal Kingdom

5. Algorythm

6. A Travers Le Temps et L’oubli

7. In Adversity

8. The Inversion

9. Binomial Structures

10. The Afterlife

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11.  Omnipresent Perception

 12.  Fundamental Process