Album Review: Beyond Fear - Beyond Fear (2006) C

Sounds like: Judas Priest, Halford

Rob Halford soundalike vocalist Tim 'Ripper' Owens, fresh from his work on Iced Earth's 'The Glorious Burden,' returns with a new band with an old sound, Beyond Fear.

If you've heard Owens' Judas Priest albums, then you'll have a pretty good idea what Beyond Fear sounds like. Kind of a classic 80s metal sound updated with modern production.

Songs range from speedy, fast paced shredders to plodding mid-placed rumblers. The faster numbers fare better as the middling tracks have very little to offer in the song-writing department. At least the fast songs are...well, fast.

Ripper sounds like Rob Halford, as usual. There's no breaking of new ground or even an attempt on any level to try anything different. Total middle-of-the-road album.