Beryl Beloved: Dressed for Burial EP Review

The EP's opening track, 'Procession' is nothing short of huge; the melody sweeps around you as if you could drown in it. Beryl's vocals are dramatic and sure; thrown boldly out into the world - but there's something that still draws you in towards them. It's a magnetism, a compulsion; something in the sound that creeps under your skin like a fish hook. The whole EP has this odd contradiction about it; you could play it as loud as you like, but there's still a feeling like it's a whisper in the darkness; like sharing secrets with the lights out.

Beryl Beloved's songs have received regular airplay on a number of alternative music radio stations across the States and 'Procession' has been played by UK DJ Martin Oldgoth on his weekly radio show 'thirteen13' on Radio Nightbreed. They have also been included on the playlists at Dead and Buried and Darklands here in the UK.

We also checked out their brand new track 'Last Rites', which has a much heavier edge; it's more heavy rock, a little more punk. Beryl Beloved can turn their cards over and surprise you; and this track sneaks in some quite unexpected guitar riffs and vocal attacks that shows that they've still got more to offer.

I can only hope that Beryl Beloved decide to cross the pond and play some live sets in the UK; the over-saturated music market is crying out for the bands that dare to do something different, to offer up their own world view. You can have Halloween every day of your life with this CD spinning in your stereo - but be warned, only the very bravest of you should listen to this with the lights off.