Origin:	New Bedford, MA, USA
Genres:	Melodic Death Metal

Beyond The Embrace

Beyond The Embrace is an up-and-coming band from Massachusetts, having released their debut, Against The Elements, in 2002. Musically, they mix traditional metal, in particular a healthy dose of Iron Maiden-esque guitar harmonies, with a harsher vocal style and modern aggression, which inevitably invites comparisons to the recent onslaught of Swedish melodic death metal bands. While Beyond The Embrace does have a fair bit in common with such bands, lumping them in that crowd isn't completely accurate. The oft-quoted description of "Maiden on steroids" (not coined by the band, but a term they are proud of) seems a bit more on the mark. Much is made of the band featuring three full-time guitarists, a rarity in metal (hello Leatherwolf!), which no doubt gives them a great deal of versatility in the live arena. Vocalist Shawn Gallagher alternates between a semi-death-ish shout and a clean style vaguely in the Hetfield arena -- he is clearly more comfortable (read: better) singing clean than a lot of death vocalists who attempt clean vocals. But it's the aforementioned harmonized guitar leads that are the trademark of this band, as they form the backbone of virtually every song and are expertly arranged and performed. Against The Elements has won its fair share of acclaim, and Beyond The Embrace is poised to capitalize on its success in the coming years.

Their sophomore album, Insect Song, was released in May 2004.