Poland’s Rascal joins the growing number of bands injecting new life into the 80s heavy and speed metal style, though unlike some of their peers these guys don’t stick completely to the tried and true script. Their debut full length Lost Beyond Reason goes for the speed and intensity that this type of metal is known for, but there are also hints of early black metal that seep into the music that give an early black/thrash vibe as well. It’s the type of album that packs a bit more variety than listeners might initially be expecting, and while the second half has a few missteps there’s still plenty to like about what Rascal brings to the table.
Rather than launching right into the speed and fire, the appropriately named “Approaching the Storm” uses clean guitars to create an eerie vibe that feels like it’s preparing you for what is to come. “Trapped Within the Lightning” showcases that Rascal can shred with the best of them, delivering high intensity and fast paced riffs that fall somewhere between speed and thrash metal. It’s razor sharp and tightly performed, with multiple solos breaking up the intensity of the main riff and showcasing the band’s technical prowess. Initially Lost Beyond Reason feels like it’s puling from a very familiar toolset, but the leads are great and will have you banging your head along instantly. But with “Running From Air” onwards, Rascal makes it clear that they are able to shake things up a bit more than some of their peers and move between fast and mid-tempo sections with ease. This track in particular shifts the tonality over to a more black metal sound, injecting some of that icy chill alongside the scorching speed/thrash riffs. Closer “Into the Night” also goes for this same approach as it starts off with riffs that feel like they could’ve been ripped out of a 90s black metal album before switching over to melodic heavy metal leads. I’d like to see the group explore more of this approach moving forward, as while all the individual pieces are familiar the way they weave everything together feels different and stands out.
The instrumentation isn’t the only element of Lost Beyond Reason that is packed with variety, as the vocals also try a lot of different things throughout the course of the album. This is where Rascal had a few missteps for me, as the first half has some very strong screaming and singing, but the second half is less successful. Early tracks like “Trapped Within the Lightning” and “The Faster the Better” shine thanks to a combination of gruffer singing and harsher screaming that keep the energy at a high, but “Born to Kill” and “Conquest” are where things get much shakier. The former pushes things into much higher registers compared to some of the other songs, and they just didn’t click with me as something sounds slightly off. “Conquest” goes for this softer singing that has more of a rock vibe to it alongside some of the lowest growls the album has to offer, but again it just feels slightly off and doesn’t completely fit the overall style of the song. I appreciate that Rascal is trying a lot of different things here, but some of the singing does diminish the impact of the material and there’s opportunity to tighten things up a bit more moving forward.
Rascal’s full-length debut showcases them as a band not afraid to challenge the status quo while still capturing that core sound that has made speed and heavy metal timeless. Their ability to incorporate some cleaner melodic leads alongside earlier black metal helps to set their material apart, but some questionable vocal choices hold things back for me. It’s nothing that will make you want to turn the album off, but it does leave the first few tracks feeling like the strongest with the remainder being a bit more hit and miss. But if Rascal can keep this same level of variety and lean into the elements that work the best, the future seems bright and I can’t wait to see where they go next. Lost Beyond Reason is available from Ossuary Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg