01. Stormbringer
02. Colossus
03. In Loathe And Love
04. King Of The Sun [feat. Jesper Binzer]
05. Imp Of The Perverse
06. Misfortunate Son [feat. Orm]
07. Mouth Of The River
08. Light The Beacons
09. Depraved World

A different kind of Beast.

Like Bodo Illgner, it would be foolish to underestimate Denmark, a country whose death metal scene reflects the "quality over quantity" expression well. While it may not produce many bands, those it does produce often have an outsized influence compared to their roots. In 2025, it seems to be Baest's turn to pick up the flag and produce what is surely the high water mark for death metal this year. Its taste might be diluted as the band inject a heaping dose of groove into the mix, but this creates one hell of a potent brew, rather than weakening the overall taste.

I'll admit, my first impression of the album (especially of the opening tracks) did underwhelm me, though it held my attention owing to my interest in how they were changing their direction. It was when I got to "King Of The Sun" that everything clicked, and the pieces fell into place. So, if you are off-put on your first listen, try again, because once it gets its claws in you, it gets them in deep. Baest have found a hybrid between Parkway Drive and Kataklysm and, by God, the resulting fusion is an addictive album.

It is this combination that gives tracks like "Imp Of The Perverse" their charm, with it blending the groove of Kataklysm and the structure of Parkway Drive (though, admittedly, not as anthemic). On paper, this experiment sounds like using Pepsi as hair conditioner: doomed to failure, but the talent Baest have at their disposal and in their songwriting make it work. Dialing down the blunt force impact of their death metal roots, the intensity is channeled through grooves and rhythms that seem designed to get you to stomp your feet, rather than mosh like a maniac ("In Loathe And Love"); though this isn't to say the band won't get mosh pits started if they play "Mouth Of The River" live.

Admittedly, even at 42 minutes, Colossal may leave fans of death metal feeling short-changed, for as much as tracks like "Mouth Of The River" scratch the death metal itch, it's not enough to truly satisfy the urge. This is reinforced by the production that, while it is sonically good, seems to be holding back on the power of the music and dulling its impact as a result; "Misfortunate Son" sounds like it is being kept on a short leash, not letting it loose to maul your senses like you hope it would.

Colossal is perhaps the surprise album of the year, an experiment that came out of nowhere and made you pay attention to it as it took its time to get under your skin. While it might take a few listens to get going, once it does, it will likely be on regular rotation for a while.

Performance:	8
Songwriting:	8
Originality:	5
Production:	7