Kyy – Beyond Flesh – Beyond Matter – Beyond Death
Finland
Morbid
Chapel Records (tape) / Saturnal Records (CD) / The Clandestine Coven
(Vinyl)
"Beyond Flesh - Beyond Matter - Beyond Death" marks the debut album from Finnish black metal institution Kyy and was unleashed in 2016. I am tasked with reviewing most promos that are sent to me (which are digital, in case you were wondering), and in this case, Morbid Chapel Records re-released this album in 2020 on cassette.
The music presented on Kyy's debut is definitely quite strong; each song is well-structured and features a number of infectious riffs, combined with the band's penchant for hateful nuances that induce a sense of dread. The production is well mixed throughout and has the perfect balance between harsh and clear. It's a good production without sounding plastic. The music evokes different tempos and seems to excel during the slower, more mid-paced parts before striking your skull with a fast, breakneck riff and drum beat. Everything sounds rather cohesive, including the fact that the music is easy to get into. Some of the riffs are mercilessly intense and the atmosphere unearthly dark, which is of course a good thing for any fan of black metal. The singer unleashes a piercing bark that is occasionally punctuated with some duelling vocals. The whole thing is downright aggressive. There are some really catchy moments, even sweeping melodies, although they don't linger for too long and are executed in a creative sense. In fact, the whole album is heavy as hell and exude a verily menacing atmosphere.
Kyy definitely deliver on their debut album, as it is a solid release through and through, coupled with the fact that they don't sound like most Finnish black metal bands and have their own sound. The closest comparison I can think of (and which probably isn't even that accurate) is Front (also from Finland). This album is definitely a grower and gets better with every spin. Recommended to fans of good black metal! (HT)