The Classic Metal Album Reviews:
Title: Within the Veil
Artist: Fear of God
Label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 1991

Rating: 4 Skulls
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    • Reviewed by Solomon:
    What do you get when a possessed Linda Blair joins a metal band? Fear of God, that's what. Some bands may try to be scary with gross lyrics, sick album covers, or corpse paint and Viking helmets. Fear of God may look pretty normal, but the fear is in the music, where it counts. Within The Veil is a bridge between two worlds: 80's thrash/power metal combined with a 90's gothic touch. The fact a major label picked these guys (and gal) up is a bit of a mystery, considering this disk is anything but commercial. Check out the deceptive intro to "All That Remains:" Crosby's subtle poetry lulls you into a false sense of security before the band smacks you upside the head full on. The vocals totally obliterate any chances of AOR support.

    Crosby's evil banshee wail is the most extreme vocal style I've ever encountered on a metal record. This is kind of odd, considering the instrumental portions of the record are of a fairly traditional sort. A good portion of the hard riffs remind me of Slayer or Sanctuary, but they are juxtaposed with some unique and often beautiful clean/acoustic parts. Michael Carlino's shredding is very 80's-oriented but potent, and his tortured outro to "Red To Grey" is a high-point. Not only is Within The Veil dark as hell, but it's worth mentioning the mood is achieved using a creative arrangement of guitar, voice, and percussion and no keyboards. After listening to this record, it's obvious Crosby's vocals are going to be the make-it-or-break-it point for most people. It's cool to hear something original in a metal voice, but her demonic bellowing tends to wear thin after the first few tracks. This type of style is best used sparingly, or on the more atmospheric tracks like "White Door" and "Drift." "White Door" is the highlight of the record, its swirling mix of guitar, percussion, and ghostly vocals build up and give way to a truly heart-wrenching riff. "Drift" is lyrically provocative, as the ringing guitar chords lend a sense of doom to the horrific question "Do you ever think about the otherside?" "Betrayed" is another exceptional track, as it blends the subtle verse sections with a cool driving riff at the end. Dark and disturbing, Within The Veil is like nothing you've heard from a metal band before.
    4 out of 5

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