Review: “Three Swords” by Beyond Extinction

From the outside looking in it feels like it has been something of a whirlwind first six years for Essex Death Metal quartet Beyond Extinction. In that time they have enjoyed the highs of sold out shows, festival performances and mind blowing streaming statistics as well as the huge low that was the tragic passing of original guitarist Zach Scott in 2023. Back then vocalist Jasper Harmer, guitarist Jude Bennett and drummer Niall Ali recruited another riff lord in Danny Russel and together the quartet have continued to wage war on the world, unleashing well received debut album “Where They Gather” as they refined and redefined their sound. Returning to Andy Mallaby (Osiah, Grief Haven, Ashes Of Iron) to mix and master this time out the band have for us the gift of a concept record in “Three Swords” which looks back into the dim and distant past and drags the lake. What they find in the primordial sludge are harrowing examples of human depravity which are of course befitting of their Downtempo Deathcore sound.

Turning to the history of their home county for inspiration opening cut “Witchfinder” finds Jasper Harmer telling the tale of the infamous Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins who became the figurehead of an explosion in domestic murder and religious fear during the Witch Trials of the 1600’s. Needless to say his vocals are as throat splitting as ever as sonically Beyond Extinction pick up where they left off with album “Where They Gather” as if they never left the studio. The punishing down-tuned distortion of Thrall infused Deathcore is the order of the day and impressively the quartet execute a number of sublime tempo shifts so it’s not all endless, restless and relentless low and slow grooves that pack the punch of a building site wrecking but but there are also some bursts of blast beats. After that lethal dose of Essex hatred “Skin of the Beast” raises the fickle finger of fate and points it beast like people wearing animal furs who rise from the swamps like Neanderthal zombies out for blood. The abrasive downtempo riffs are capable of cleaving flesh from bone as the quartet subject the discerning listener to a white hot wall of noise, Harmer painting pictures in the minds eye with his distinctive lyrical prowess.

There is a churn and burn to “The Estuary” as a swirling menacing and sinister atmosphere with flavours of Humanity’s Last Breath and Black Tongue rises to the surface as Harmer plays on fear with a lyrics about just how deadly coastal waterways can be. Dark, cold, brutal and bleak it’s another searingly intense offering from a band who know exactly how to create that feeling of existential dread with wave after wave of dissonance. The most impressive thing is how clever nuances rise from each song over multiple listens exposing hitherto unheard moments of madness that send a chill down the spine. Staccato riff breaks ignite the blue touch paper of “A Dark Sickness (Three Swords)“, the tempo shifting upwards as the band operate like a well oiled war machine, destroying everything in their path. The repeated roars of “Bodies on bodies on bodies!” are fearfully addictive and hit home as the savage beating from the density subsides but there is no rest as from black depths eerie haunting sounds arise. Mallaby deserves a lot of credit for nailing the mix which is essential to making this a beast of a record by ensuring that none of the bands musicianship is lost in the weight of the sound and what’s more you know that their much loved and dearly departed guitarist Zach Scott would absolutely love it [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Witchfinder
2. Skin of the Beast
3. The Estuary
4. A Dark Sickness (Three Swords)

“Three Swords” by Beyond Extinction is out 26th October 2026