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Tracklist
01. Justicia
02. Taking up Serpents
03. Jeremiad
04. Ancestry of the Antichrist
05. Temporary Temples
06. Five Faces of Madness
07. Red Neck War
08. Pity None
09. The Rat Eaters
10. Salem, Ark
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A new dawn in the existence of heavy metal continues to emerge in 2005 with Byzantine cementing their position as one of the brightest young acts alongside bands such as Trivium and Biomechanical. And much as those two breakout groups of artists, Byzantine wisely take cues from the best in all styles of heavy metal in order to fashion a sound that is powerful, inventive and highly relevant in today's musical climate. Each of the tracks on '…And They Shall Take Up Serpents' stands on it's own musically, you'll find no filler material or poorly thought out songwriting here, as the group have carefully considered each piece with the utmost degree of songwriting proficiency.
From the highly technical power groove of opening track 'Justica' to the wonderfully dynamic 'Ancestry Of The Antichrist', this talented trio of thrashing forerunners convey raw, aggressive emotion as well as any other band out there, balancing their overall sound with a strict attention to the little details that make all of the difference in pushing their songwriting and performance to the maximum. 'Taking Up Serpents' rests somewhere between Lamb Of God style bashing and growling and the precision attack of Megadeth, succeeding on all levels as a song that will have many a metal fan wildly pumping their fist in the air.
A complex time signature lies beneath the surface of 'Temporary Temples', a cut that will have a bold appeal to those who appreciate progressive thrash. Tony gives a blistering solo on this track that serves to further highlight the manic intensity that the group provides. The ambience during this song's latter stages is boldly affluent, lending further credence to the group's proficiency. On 'Pity None', you'll find the band churning through a grinding riff as OJ lets loose with a substantial vocal melody that is in no way short on antagonism. It must be said that the driving, skilled drumming of Wolfe places him amongst the best of the young drummers pounding the skins today. Providing concrete-solid beats and unpredictable accents, the drummer gives the band's songs a distinct edge that is all their own.
To add value to this recording, the band went so far as to include the guitar tablature for the entire record on the disc. Guitarists would do well to brush up on their chops before attempting to play much of the material as the guitarists in Byzantine are well-schooled and possess a high degree of technical aptitude. Make no mistake. '…And They Shall Take Up Serpents' is without a doubt one of the top ten metal albums of the year. Anyone who knows their metal will surely agree with that.
Review by: Erin Fox
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