The Murder Of My Sweet| Beth Out Of Hell
Label: Frontiers
Release Year: 2015
Country: Sweden
Genre: Cinematic Melodic Rock
Band Members
Angelica Rylin – Vocals
Christopher Vetter – Guitar
Patrik Janson – Bass
Daniel Flores – Drums and Keyboards
Contact Links
The Murder Of My Sweet Official Website
The Murder Of My Sweet Official Facebook Page
The Murder Of My Sweet Official Twitter
The Murder Of My Sweet Official Youtube Channel
Back in 2013 I had a informal introduction to The Murder Of My Sweet when I received a copy of their beautiful front woman’s Angelica Rylin’s solo album Thrive. Although at the time I had not heard The Murder Of My Sweet yet I could already notice the power in Angelica Rylin’s voice. It was one of the most powerfully seductive and clear vocals I ever heard male or female. Angelica Rylin simply knows how to tell a story with her vocal prowess. This is very much confirmed indeed with The Murder Of My Sweet’s 2015 release Beth Out Of Hell.
Now I know most people will be critical of the title Beth Out Of Hell. I know many will take it as a pun off Meatloaf’s Bat Out Of Hell trilogy, however this is very far from being the case. The Murder Of My Sweet’s Beth Out Of Hell is a concept story about the worlds end through apocalypse and a unlikely alliance and romance beginning in the midst of the hell and chaos that has been unleashed on earth. While on the surface it sounds like another concept album, I beg to differ.
Beth Out Of Hell is a very living and breathing story. The characters come right out in a tasteful distinct manner instead of the characters being force fed like on other concept albums. Mostly people write soundtracks based on the plot of a film or movie. Beth Out Of Hell is a melodic film or movie come to life on the screen inside the theater of the of the mind of the listener through song.
Although Beth Out Of Hell carries the ‘cinematic metal’ tag, it is so much more. It contains heavy elements of symphonic metal, hard rock, AOR, gothic metal, etc. While some so-called ‘concept’ albums are purposefully written, recorded and engineered to break between tracks, Beth Out Of Hell has some very tight and proper spoken word segway’s of continuity between tracks. It may be multi tracked with thirteen tracks however the listener can not tell with the brilliant engineering and mastering of the concept.
Hell On Earth is basically part instrumental part narrative that introduces the listener to the project before them. Hell On Earth sets up a nice dramatic backbone for the story.
The Awakening has some seriously powerfully symphonic harmonies as if a orchestra were scoring a film. The boys choir places a melodic accent of brief innocence before the track takes off. The keyboards are tracked in a way as not to remove anything from the vocal narrative. The Awakening has the standard verse, bridge, chorus yet in a very orchestral matter. At the 4:12 , mark Angelica Rylin’s vocals are part harmony part spoken word.
World Of Ashes starts out with a spoken word narrative that keeps building upon the original conceptual premise. The drums and bass rhythm section really carry the track giving it a brooding audio appearance and heavy progression. There is some tight male choral parts in the backing vocal.
Always A Fugitive once again shows Angelica Rylin going in and out of a semi spoken word semi melodic vocal. This really makes it easier for the listener who is wanting to be more at home with the lyrical content and story than the instrumental. This track continues to build on the dramatic dynamic of Beth Out Of Hell.
Bitter Love introduces us to the male character for the first time in the concept. It opens with both a male spoken word and melodically sung passage. Bitter Love has a semi AOR vocal harmony that builds upon the symphonic aspect of the narrative. This is more a ballad on the album.
Still opens up with the female character in a dream like state and the female character requesting his attention. Still is a straight away symphonic gothic hard rock track. It contains a strong deep rhythm section on top of choral elements. Still is laced with progressive elements throughout the track. Still is the first track we see a actual guitar solo.
The Humble Servant starts off with a brief spoken word passage before exploding into a symphonic progressive time signature. The signature has over the top rhythm sections in harmony with over the top keyboard parts. This track continues the dramatic flair the band have apparently sought out to convey to the listener. At about the 3:00 mark the guitar solo manipulates the listening experience and gives the listener the appearance it too is talking.
Requiem For A Ghost opens up with a nice keyboard atmosphere giving the track a sound like a instrumental love letter. The male vocal has really become a second character. Requiem For A Ghost is like a gothic AOR track in the beginning before exploding in the more modern symphonic signature. There are various instrumental signatures within the track that serve as one hook to another as to not allow the listener to become complacent and bored. Requiem For A Ghost reminds me of many of Tobia’s Sammets, Avantasia tracks containing a lot of power metal elements as well.
Euthanasia continues with the spoken word element from the start. It soon is followed by a heavy melodic AOR metal vibe. Angelica’s vocal has more and more conviction as the story goes forward. Lyrically Euthanasia is a crossroads track within the storied narrative. The keyboard towards the end is very symphonic in nature.
Tide After Tide opens up with a instrumental ghostly effect. The male character is starting to question things by now. The keyboard programming gives the listener the appearance that the male character is somewhere along a body of water whether ocean or lake. Lyrically you can hear a lot of personal reflection happening within the main male and female characters.
Poets By Default has the male narrative giving Beth a stern warning and her taking instruction. Poets By Default both instrumentally and lyrically is a strong call to action for the main character of Beth. At the 2:50 mark there is a nice easy break and Angelica’s voice takes a sultry and passionate departure.
Heavenly Succumb starts out with a powerful explosion of symphonic bliss. That is soon accented by a power vocal. This contains a lot of heavy rhythmic distortion in the instrumental. The guitar has a very intricate exchange between a lead to rhythm instrumental.
Means To An End opens up with a plural spoken word vocal narrative. This is the final track of Beth Out Of Hell and allows the listener to continue the story in their minds or to have closure as well. There is a wonderful interchange between the lead vocal and the mini choir delivery by the male backing vocal. The way Means To An End ends Beth Out Of Hell also allows the audience to speculate whether this will be a ongoing story or perhaps a sequel to Beth Out Of Hell.
Beth Out Of Hell impressed me. This is a very easy concept to follow. The band, if they choose to do so, can put this in its entirety as a full concept on the live stage while maintaining the original integrity the concept had in the recording studio. In a year dominated with many concept albums both in the progressive and symphonic spectrum, Beth Out Of Hell has found its own niche without compromising their sound. I give this a 4/5 for its total original perspective.
