For an all-too-brief period from 2004 through to 2008, West Virginian metal mavericks Byzantine looked set to become one of the most important bands of the burgeoning American scene. The four-piece played music that completely escaped pigeonholing; mixing in elements of thrash, hardcore and progressive, technical metal to head-spinning effect.
As their fanbase continued to expand though, internal tensions played havoc among the line-up and they ultimately split in January 2008, a mere four days after the release of third album Oblivion Beckons.
In their wake they left a legacy comprising thirty three songs and a string of semi-legendary live performances. If there was a highlight to their career though, it is undoubtedly their 2005 sophomore album And They Shall Take Up Serpents.
Byzantine: Underrated American Metal
Fans of Gojira's ice-cold future metal will find plenty to sink their teeth into with this album, but where the French envelope-pushers create the sonic equivalent of frozen Arctic tundra, Byzantine are more at home in sand blasted, desert wasteland. When singer Chris Ojeda first belts out the lyrics to Justicia, it's not hard to picture a swarm of locusts erupting from his mouth as the aural onslaught begins.
Ojeda's incredible voice alternates between a Hetfield-style roar and a Randy Blythe roar but still remains distinctly his own. In fact, his vocals alone are worth the price of entry and yet, Byzantine are far from a one man band. The intricacy of their playing becomes apparent all too quickly and there are enough ideas crammed into the first three songs to power the careers of lesser acts.
Thrash Meets Hardcore Meets Progressive Metal
Jeremiad is a perfect example of their bizarre songwriting approach. One moment the drums and guitars are at rapid fire, the next they're slowing right down into a punishing power groove, before a frenetic solo kicks in and Ojeda screams his lungs out in a fit of blood and fury. It's compelling, brilliant stuff and an honest statement of what modern metal can achieve, but there's still a full seven songs left to go.
Pity None meanwhile is the nearest they get to a potential single on the entire album, the chorus instantly lodging itself in the brain and refusing to leave for days. The Rat Eaters is an epic collection of spine-tingling solos and primal fury while Redneck War is custom built to send live audiences into a frenzy.
And They Shall Take Up Serpents: The Verdict
Detractors may argue that Byzantine are merely cross between Meshuggah and Pantera. This is a massive injustice to the imagination, talent and pure rock madness that the Virginians bring to the table though.
When they split, the modern metal world lost one of it's brightest lights. One can only wonder what they might have achieved had they stayed together longer, but even so, it's still an absolute thrill to crank up Salem, Ark and let the riffs fly.
