Immortal Guardian remains more than a Lone Star metal curiosity. Their chief shred-head, Gabriel Guardian, has long gone viral with simultaneous keyboard and guitar riffing while, locally, the band’s notorious for being dragged around fests on a trailer. On their sophomore release, the technical power-metal quartet aims high with the proposed soundtrack to a global uprising of the oppressed. “Beyond the Skies” storms the gates with machine gun double-bass drumming and a mega-melodic guitar assault over Brazilian belter Carlos Zema’s operatic promise to “fight for libertaaaaay!” The bombastic five-song EP lacks a signature song, but validates that they’re no novelty. **.5

This article appears in August 21 • 2015.

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