THE BEAST

Richard Weeks has been part of a prolific number of musical projects in the metal underground over the years. He has also been a strong voice against the insidious growth of extremist political ideologies that have poisoned parts of that scene. Through his work with Sea Wolves Of The Atlantic, Olivia Neutered John and particularly Gaylord, Weeks has refused to tolerate the messages of hate and be complicit in their growth through silence. Gaylord’s debut album, The Black Metal Scene Needs To Be Destroyed was a viral hit on bandcamp with its confrontational, unequivocal stance and often hilarious attacks on those on whom Weeks set his sights. Names were named and if that upset a few bedroom dwelling keyboard warriors, so be it

The one area where Gaylord’s debut was lacking was the music; frankly it played second fiddle to the acerbic wit and righteous anger. However that is not a charge that can be levelled at new album Wings Of The Joyful. This is a collection of fierce, powerful songs, strong enough to take on all comers on a purely musical battlefield. ‘Devils From The Black’, ‘Borne From Inferno Winds’, ‘The First To Die’...these are songs of undeniable intensity. Gaylord is now armed to the teeth and backed with some serious heavy artillery, capable of levelling any Nazi stronghold. The lyrics have matured alongside the music as well, because songs of such deadly intent just aren’t designed to carry jokes, no matter how vicious the humour. However this doesn’t mean a change in philosophy, far from it, as Weeks himself has explained.

“The vitriol is still there. The anger is still there. But both the music and the lyrics have been honed to a venomous spearhead.”

On March 20th Gaylord will unfurl the Wings Of The Joyful and march forth once more under the banner of Blackened Death Records; better equipped, with more powerful weaponry, more determined than ever but with the same defiant message to the propagators of hatred...

“Heavy metal is not about disparaging those different from yourself. We are in this together, those who would divide this scene can fuck off!”

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