The group Godgory consisted of vocalist Matte Andersson and keyboardist Erik Andersson. Although they are not related they were musically as close as any brothers could be. Combining elements of both death and black metal into a new sound that digs right into you, these guys had an all but too brief career. Way Beyond is their fourth and final album. It is a work that only shows what might have been, a mesmerizing work of gothic metal. A big thank you has to go out to Metal Mind Productions for bringing back this hidden masterpiece with a limited edition CD for which only 2000 copies will be made.
Bringing in session musicians to fill out the sound, Godgory has produced one of the most creative albums in the genre. This dark and utterly captivating work will leave you wondering just what happened to these guys. From the beginning of the disc when you are taken on the "Final Journey", Godgory has a way of tapping into your fears and nightmares in a way that haunts you just like a good horror movie. This opening song is a great example where they deal with the last moments of life and at the end when he tells his last thoughts against an eerie piano and the sounds of a heart monitor is unnerving. When the monitor flat lines, well I will let you experience it for yourself!
Although Mikael Dahqvist is listed as a session player he is also attributed with writing credits for a lot of the music and is the man responsible for most of the terrific guitar work on the disc. Similarly, Fredrik Olsson is listed in the session players but is also a main contributor as a lyricist. Both of these guys are major parts of what makes this album a winner. The lyrics are brooding and morbid at times but reflect the music perfectly. The guitar work is extraordinary. Like on the reflective instrumental "Sea Of Dreams" where keyboards and acoustic guitar give you a sense of floating away and in the context of the album maybe an afterlife experience. The end of this song has an electric guitar to add a bit of texture to this very alluring piece.
Matte has a voice that makes me think of what Dracula would sound like if he sang. That same slow, deliberate and deeply menacing tone that sends chills up and down your spine. He uses this very effectively throughout the disc especially on songs like the very heavy "Farewell" or "Holy War". He is almost terrifying when describing death in the opener "Final Journey". Overall it is a very good trip into the dark recesses and could easily replace your Friday Night Creep Show marathon!
Track listing:
1. Final Journey
2. Payback
3. Another Day
4. Tear It Down
5. Caressed By Flames
6. Farewell
7. Sea Of Dreams
8. Holy War
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