Fractal Gates - Beyond The Self

This marks the birth of Fractal Gates formed in 2007. Metal and Dark Rock with grooved catchy tunes and screams. The band emphasises mainly on extra-terrestrial life forms, ancient civilisations, planets, esotericism, and science fiction. Fractal Gates’s music can only be described as pure ‘energy’. In August 2012 Fractal Gates entered the studio to record their upcoming album "Beyond the Self". The album was released at the start 2013 on Great Dane Records, and was produced by the great Dan Swanö! Which features Sotiris (Septic Flesh) and Dan himself! Expect over 50 mega tons of pure entrancing energy! Stay metal, stay Fractal! We are the imagination of ourselves!

Dissonance
Starts by bending the mind to its outer limits and teasing the senses so they roll over and submit to the wild and passionate groves that entrance them. The gruffness of the vocal tormenting is proficient in making you quickly focus attention on them. The army of guitars are sheer mesmerizing while the synth strikes an angst and unease into the mix. This track is one torrid love affair with the mind!

Everblaze
Nothing timid about ‘Fractal Gates’ what so ever as this track takes a stride down a fearless path and boldly strikes without hesitation. With sheer stupefaction the guitars come together producing a magnetic swagger of rhythms while the synth employs a tempered haunting.

On Your Own
In another charged composition this track keeps the pressure on and delivers a manic anxiety with its towering riffs a plenty and harsh abrasive vocal edge are likely to leave its listeners somewhat in awe and bewilderment.

The Sign
This again toys with the mind so much so it will cause a neurosis of sheer magnitude as it plays out. There are no reservations this means business and goes all out to show its composure with sonically charged malignancy while still adorning solid melodic grandeur.

Visions VIII
The solicitude of the track is all empowering and bristles with angst as it unfolds, also harboring a certain apprehension but only short lived.

Timeless
This has to be my favorite track so far – its melodic core really gives the ears something to feast on, while the tones of the synth reach furthering heights and washed in a dramatic guttural gnawing – it blisters feverishly into oblivion taking the senses with it! Thunderously stomps all over your head and certainly living up to its name, simply losing you in time, space and reality! Well repeat worthy! I will go as far to say this track goes way beyond the self!

We Are All Leaders
Sometime later... and managing to literally drag myself away from the previous track, although very difficult as it just sucks you into its addictive strikes – the next track blisters on a feverish bed of energy – not surprising either! And another fretful track exploring the further and harsher side of the band that ignites a tempestuous surge in temperature and injects trembling uneasiness into their resounding heavy structural tapestry, using melodic tones to fury the anguish.

Reverse Dawn
The agitation creeps forward on this one and then explodes with a force that shows no let up as it stalks with vengeful vindictiveness! Pumping spiteful malevolence into the heart. The vocals again sounding threatening and forcibly cutting a path directly for you to focus on.

Mighty Wings (cover Cheap Trick)
Is a rampaging chug that sweeps through its virtual reality in a bid to cause serious calamity. It outlines a more rock structure with clean rock vocal and baking it up are of course the gnarly guttural slur but not forgetting its deep wicked melodic hues.

“This transforms into a very sensual album that will wreak havoc on the mind and take it, too far away destinations, one’s that contain gratification, reward and first class contentment!”

The Experiment
Showing further vibrant riffs and over locking synth notes that chill the overall sound is on par with a nuclear holocaust! The bewitching whispered vocal is sinister and malicious and delves deeper into a pit worthy of Satan himself to reside in! The synth - now on critical sends out tiny shards of mesmerizing and excitable notes.

Beyond The Self
The depravity continues in a twisted form of obscene energy driven and excruciating endeavor. The melodies keeping it well balanced although it seems to be breaking its restrains and gives out a monstrous and brutish gait that scintillates.

Glooms Of Cyan
The final track of what has been the most rewarding experience. The unrelenting power continues to surge under the weight of its mighty anger and flourishes with exuberance to the point of sadistic but in a stabilized fashion.

Visions IX
Is a filler track that portrays some strange molecular structures of ambiance and concludes the Album?

Summary
There is so much going on, here it is hard to really know where to start in summing up, but let me try... The highly crafted and skillful musicianship is second to none that much has to be said. Fractal Gates are indeed an energy driven experience that can flaunt their prowess with pride. Since the album finished it has left me feeling somewhat stripped of pleasure and as I say that my feelings are to immediately reach for the replay button and carry on this most immense listening recreation, just to indulge the senses to their full capacity once again and feed off the melodic structures for maximum excitement. Although I do have my favorite track ‘Timeless’ that will no doubt be played continuously but the rest of the album holds its own and heaps lashings of deeply infused rhythms with zest toward the listener and are more than feisty and palatable. This transforms into a very sensual album that will wreak havoc on the mind and take it, too far away destinations, one’s that contain gratification, reward and first class contentment.

I want more!


  1. Dissonance
  2. Everblaze
  3. On Your Own
  4. The Sign
  5. Visions VIII
  6. Timeless
  7. We Are All Leaders
  8. Reverse Dawn
  9. Mighty Wings (cover Cheap Trick)
  10. The Experiment
  11. Beyond The Self
  12. Glooms Of Cyan