Besiege is a metal band hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden. They officially formed in 2020 and have so far released two EP:s “And Then There Were None” from February of 2021 and “Brink of Collapse” from January of 2022.
From the beginning, Besiege existed as an idea by long-time friends and guitarists Fredrik Thomson and Johan Fredberg whom for many years had jammed the riffs and songs that Fredrik wrote. They nourished the dream of one day form a band playing the old-school type of thrash they loved to play and listen to. In 2019 they decided to make it real by putting out an add searching for a drummer. Marcus Elton answered and from the fall of 2019 he joined Fredrik and Johan in their jamming sessions in their rehearsal studio in Gothenburg. During the next year Marcus was a part in forming the band Cowherence where Carl Bergevald served as a guitarist. Since Carl also shared the passion for the old-school thrash, and Besiege now were looking for a bass player, Carl got the question and accepted. From the autumn of 2020 the line-up was completed and Besiege now formally existed as a full band. In February of 2021 they released their (well received) first EP “And Then There Were None” followed almost a year later by their second EP “Brink of Collapse” released in January of 2022. Today I’m going to review the latter.
Brink Of Collapse has a total playtime of just over 26 minutes and features 4 brand new songs. The first thing that springs to mind when listening to the opening track Revolution is recognition towards old school thrash metal bands from the 80’s. Quick and heavy riffs and loud drums dominate the song, as it where a brand new thrash metal song from 1987! What follows is the title track Brink of Collapse and it fits neatly into previous works from Besiege. Again the music itself is what drives the song, the vocals are strong and spot on and the overall composition is well thought out. The ominous feeling that the lyrics provoke shines through in the music.
The third song on this impressive EP is called Rebellion Call and the pace in the music seems relentless. As the title states, the song itself has an aggressive feel to it, and really pulls you in. The guitar solos in this song are fantastically done and the drop in tempo is a perfect fit and adds a lot to the song.
The last track on this EP is called Where Judgement Fails and above all this song gives me a Metallica feel. The longest track on this EP (nearly 8 minutes) has a steady, almost threatening tempo and it sets the song apart from the rest of the EP. Without disqualifying the previous songs in any way, Where Judgement Fails shows what Besiege is capable of in my opinion as they create a captivating feeling throughout the song.
Conclusion:
Brink Of Collapse is my first encounter with Besiege and whit out a shadow of a doubt they have conquered my heart. The EP is the second EP released by these talented Swedes and it screams to be played in front of a large audience. The music is very good composed, is really recognisable as early thrash metal and is reasonably accessible. Originality isn’t really there, but that’s not a problem when the music itself is this freaking good. For fans of Besiege this EP is a no brainer and for fans of thrash metal Brink Of Collapse is an absolute must. In my opinion Besiege has delivered a true gem and I wouldn’t be surprised if this one makes my all year top 5 of 2022!
Score 9.0/10.0
Besiege:
Fredrik Thomsen – Rhythm guitar and vocals
Johan Fredberg – Lead guitar
Carl Bergevald – Bass
Marcus Elton – Drums
To make sure you won’t miss anything Besiege announces or releases, make sure you follow them through the following links!
Facebook
Instagram
Spotify
If you want to listen to more Besiege, please click the following playlist!