An Aussie melodic death metal troupe based out of the city of Melbourne, Be'lakor's heroic blasts of epic bleakness sound better suited to the gray skies of Gothenburg than they do the blue, wide-open vistas of their Australian homeland. Founded in 2004 around the talents of vocalist/guitarist George Kosmas, guitarist Shaun Sykes, drummer Jimmy Vanden Broeck, keyboardist Steven Merry, and bassist John Richardson, the band began playing out in 2005, and by 2007 they had independently released their debut album, The Frail Tide. In 2009, after inking a deal with Prime Cuts Music, the band released their sophomore studio long-player, Stone's Reach, which earned them the top spot in Metal Storm's "Best Melodeath/Gothenburg Metal Album" of the year. As the group's profile began to expand, so did their concert schedule, including supporting tours with Turisas and Alestorm, and a prime slot at Germany's Summer Breeze Open Air festival. The critically acclaimed, Kolony Records-issued Of Breath and Bone dropped in 2012, followed by another round of high-profile gigs, including shows with At the Gates and Apocalyptica. 2016 saw the release of the band's fourth full-length outing, Vessels, which arrived via Napalm Records. It would be the last outing for drummer Vanden Broeck, who left the group to pursue other musical projects shortly after the album's release. Elliott Samson would join the band behind the kit later that year. ~ James Christopher Monger