Monument in Time by Beyond The Pale is, as you would imagine, a really fucking loud and brutal record, but is also one that is tinged in sadness as, as the bands press release states;
This release marks both our studio debut, and our come-back: ‘Monument in Time’ was released on April 27, 2024. This date exactly two years ago our friend, guitarist, and co-founding member Jeroen van Donselaar (1972-2022) passed away. Halfway through our debut show, Jeroen suddenly collapsed. He died from cardiac arrest doing what he did best: Delivering razor-sharp riffs on stage with a huge smile on his face. He was one of the founding fathers of Beyond the Pale and rightfully so created what we like to call #JeroenMetal as a genre. He will forever be remembered as a kind, loving, wonderful guy with a heart of gold.
Which makes Monument in Time an even more incredible achievement. Losing someone that was as intricate to the band as Jeroen van Donselaar obviously was to Beyond The Pale, would see most groups pack it in and call it a day, and the fact that it happened at their debut show… the courage and balls it takes to not only come back from that, but to put out a sensational piece of Death Metal madness, leads me to believe that Beyond The Pale aren’t any ordinary band.
Which, as you may have already guessed, they prove on Monument in Time, with riffs fatter than my mommas ass, a rhythm section as insane as The Mad Hatter in the midst of an amphetamine fuelled acid binge, and a vocalist that is trying to tear a hole in the fabric of reality by screaming in its fucking face.
It is vicious, it is relentless, and it demands that not only do you give it your undivided attention, but you play it on eleven until your ears bleed.
There isn’t a duff track across the entirety of Monument in Time, but for me the two standout cuts of prime Death Metal beef come in the form of Storm en Drift and Payback is a Bitch. The former is a tribute to the underground venues of Beyond The Pale’s hometown and kicks so fucking hard that you’ll feel like you’re in the middle of a moshpit even if you’re home alone, while the latter is the perfect middle finger to play to anyone who has ever fucked you over – preferably while you are stomping on their face – with some amazing blast beats and screeching guitar work, that makes you want to bang your head until it flies off your shoulders.
Monument in Time is a proper fucking record. It is Beyond The Pale going beyond metal and into a world where #JeroenMetal is the only genre that matters, and it is a massive fucking tribute to a fallen warrior and the phoenix like rise from the ashes of his comrades. You need this in your life. I know I fucking do.
Head on over to the Beyond The Pale Bandcamp page and check out Monument in Time for yourself.
