Eyrie, Beak’s debut album, wasn’t what I was expected and in this context, that’s a good thing. Their melodic five-song disc is an impressive first release and doesn’t take a toll on the ears. The opener, “Angry Mother Of Bone,” starts off the hopeless journey through the post-apocalyptic state. Through thrilling guitars, drums and bass, the sense of climbing or trying to reach a higher point is felt, but just as the feeling of glory is established everything comes crashing down. The adventure through the ruins continues on as “Hands Collide” charges the album back up. Hooky guitar riffs and loud, in-your-face vocals throttle you forward, however, the momentum is slowed down and the notion of defeat is brought on.
As “Men At Arms” opens up, it creates a visualization of feet dragging on a dusty ground. As the number picks up, the track turns quite anthemic. With its powerful guitar riffs, “Billions Of Eyes” restores the fight into the album and helps the song build anticipation for how the concept album ends. Booming drums and a fast paced tempo drags in “The Weight & Time.” The final cut on Eyrie is the heaviest sounding on it but does balance out with a mellow reprise thrown in. Ultimately, Beak creates a world in which there is no escape and the only thing left to do is listen to Eyrie all over again. The eerie prog-rock release from the quintet is just the start to where the band can go.
In A Word: Surprising
