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Beholder: In the Temple of the Tyrant
Beholder - In the Temple of the Tyrant Album Art

Beholder: In the Temple of the Tyrant

Traditional Heavy/Power/Doom Metal
4.5/5.0

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Black Lion Records
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 13.05.2025 | Released: 25.04.2025

Beholder was formed in late 2021 by Philadelphia guitarist Carlos Alvarez (Shadowdance, ex-Power Theory), a lifelong fan of both Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and old school doom metal. It seemed only natural for him to fulfill his long-standing vision of bringing the two worlds together musically. He's joined by like-minded metal musicians from across the United States: John Yelland (Judicator) on vocals, Michael Sanchez (King Of Wyrms) on bass, and Andrew Julkowski and Matt Hodsdon, on drums and guitars, respectively, both from progressive power metal band, Chaos Frame. In The Temple Of The Tyrant is their debut album, currently signed to Sweden's Black Lion Records.

Beholder - Click For Larger Image

Beholder

Considering the members other gigs, the listener can discern Beholder's metal to be an amalgamation of traditional heavy metal at the intersection of power and doom metal. Not familiar with D&D? The beholder is depicted (as on the cover art) as a floating orb of flesh with a large mouth, single central eye, and many smaller eye stalks on top with powerful magical abilities.


Black Lion Records offered such a great description of Beholder's debut album in their press release, I have to repeat it here: "In the Temple of the Tyrant is now ready to be unleashed upon all who seek dark tales of adventure filled with Magic, Mayhem, and Riffs Heavier Than a Storm Giant's Ass!" Descriptive, but also funny. Spin the music videos attached to this review, and you'll completely understand. Doom, power, traditional metal also collide and become epic with Dungeon Crawl, I Magus, and For Those Who Fell, which is especially plodding. Overall, I was thrilled with guitar solos throughout.

All said, if you dig traditional heavy metal wrapped up in equal parts power and doom metal and offering an abundance of killer guitar solos, you enjoy Beholder and their debut album In The Temple Of The Tyrant, out now on Sweden's Black Lion Records. Recommended.



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The Take Away

If you dig traditional heavy metal wrapped up in equal parts power and doom metal and offering an abundance of killer guitar solos, you enjoy Beholder and their debut album In The Temple Of The Tyrant. Recommended.

Support the artist, click the link below to buy the album at Amazon (US site) in your favorite format.

Purchase Beholder - In the Temple of the Tyrant at Amazon
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