Beyond the Lands of Human Existence

This band is a solo project of Mike Lerner, the guitar player of the progressive metallers Behold the Arctopus. The latter act have made a name for themselves as creators of bizarre, abstract, not very easy to grasp musical tapestries dividing the fanbase to those who love them with passion, and those who can’t stand even a minute of their labour’s fruit. Lerner definitely has more to say/express outside the confines of his main band hence the album reviewed here. To call the style progressive black metal, however, is to do disservice to the man’ visions which are construed out of an extreme progressive metal amalgam with thrash, death, and even power metal served along the way, also clinging at times towards the more clinically technical side of the spectre.

The opening odyssey “World War Iv” is a most appetizing trip through the annals of progressive metal, a virtuoso-prone panorama of super-technical guitar acrobatics ala Theory in Practice, atmospheric build-ups in the vein of Serdce and Disaffected, fast-paced crescendos, and husky witch-like vocals which are the only link to the black metal brotherhood. The title-track is another feast for the ears with its perplexing riff applications and gorgeous melodies, bordering on purer progressive ala Zero Hour, later-period Sieges Even and Animals as Leaders the vocals replaced by authoritative declamatory antics. “1,000,000 Enemies (Mercury’s Disaster)” hardens the course with brutal deathy outbreaks, but the outstanding riff-patterns remain fighting with the downpour of blast-beats, winning the battle in the second half where the approach turns to more clinical technical death with cool cleaner vocals showing up. “Murder the Creatures Who Inhabit the Black Sun” is stupendous technical thrash with echoes of Coroner with serpentine riffs, smattering speedy excursions, fusion-like pirouettes, and a couple of less tamed blast-beating outrages.

“Final Flight” turns the tables towards more epic progressive ala Dark Arena and Symphony X with steel thrashy gallops reigning supreme for a bit alongside the returned blacky vocals; beautiful keyboards ornaments are also provided to assist the hard-hitting riffage which knows its respite on the more serene mid-break. “The Prophet Failed Pt. 1” is an atmospheric progressive metal composition which leaves the stylish jarring riffs for the follow-up, logically titled “The Prophet Failed Pt. 2”, where the sharp guitars duel with the prominent keyboards creating a dreamy, spacey environment not without the help of the versatile vocal mix comprising the already mentioned raven-like rasps and the officiant recitals. The 3rd part of the Prophet is hectic thrashy accumulations of amorphous rhythmic patterns which reach fever pitch early in the first half before Lerner indulges in a more pyrotechnical Sharpnel-like performance; the twisted thrashisms resume their march in a more dramatic, also more atmospheric, fashion later clouding the exiting idyllic “Epitaph”.

This is way more digestible than the labyrinthine exploits of Behold the Arctopus, and for most of the time it actually follows the established progressive metal canons without trying to break them through a less comprehensive, eccentric perspective. This is pretty much the essence of the style served with a few more self-indulgent moments, but after all a guitar virtuoso like Lerner should by all means spare some time to display his talents outside the mere song-oriented scope. And he outdoes himself in flying colours here keeping the proceedings within the accessible parametres providing melody, technicality, and plenty of elaborate pleasantries for the fanbase. The moment he feels too pressurized by the undecipherable mathematical equations of his other act, rest assured that Lerner will show once again that the wolf always works/hunts better when alone.

Beyond the Lands of Human Existence is right. This album is beyond anything I've ever heard before. Exceedingly strange and otherworldly, it could only have come from the mind of someone from Behold... the Arctopus. This is his solo project, and as such he plays everything on the album, right down to programming the drum machine. His genius really shows here, on every single track. While focused on the guitar, Lerner also manages some strange synths and sound effects. It gives the entire album a certain atmosphere that makes me think of space. The lyrical themes revolve around the same subject, as this is pretty much a concept album.


Lerner definitely puts his technical skills to good use here, but to a different effect than in BTA. Here he sounds more spacey and jazzy, and dare I say more metal. His playing here is less atonal, and more "musical" in the songwriting sense of the word. His use of strange scales and modes, "off" time signatures, and generally weird arrangements really make this one of the most enjoyable musical experiences I've ever had.

The bass is pretty much undetectable here, at least as far as I can tell. The drumming is really good, and I can barely tell it's a machine except at its fastest parts. What really backs up the guitars and gives the album its flavor, however, are the synths. They flow in and out perfectly and are placed right where they need to be. The songs here are truly not just focused on one instrument, but the composition as a whole.

It's really hard to decide what tracks are my favorites here. I'd have to say I prefer the first part of the album to the "The Prophet Failed" trilogy. While those are good, I just don't think they're up to par with the rest. Each song is fairly long as well, which makes it even harder. If I had to choose, "Murder the Creatures Who Inhabit the Black Sun" and "World War IV" are my favorite tracks. Everything is perfect, and they have amazing guitar parts. It's amazing that the music can be this technical and extreme and still be catchy, like the song "1,000,000 Enemies (Mercury's Disaster)". As well as having some cool speaking parts and sound effects, the song has a chorus that won't get out of my head! The lyrics are also immensely good.


As it says on the Direwolf myspace, it sounds like "Screams of relentless fervor- delirious celebrations and elemental strength." While I'm not quite sure what that means, I can't argue with it. I guess that is what it sounds like, and it surely sounds like nothing else. Everything from the spacey synths to the black metal screams, this album is just about perfect. From the dueling solos on "Beyond the Lands of Human Existence" to the catchy chugging part in "Final Flight", this album has everything that makes anything awesome. I encourage you to get it as soon as possible!