Hailing from New Bedford, MS, Beyond the Embrace performs traditional heavy metal with a few latter-day devices such as death-styled vocals and thrash-like speeds stirred into the mix of their unusual three-guitar attack. Debuting with 2002's Against the Elements on Metal Blade, the sextet featuring vocalist/keyboardist Shawn Gallagher, guitarists Oscar Gouveia, Jeff Saude, and Alex Botelho, bassist Adam Gonsalves, and drummer Mike Bresciani has often been referred to as "Iron Maiden on speed." Released in 2004, the band's sophomore Insect Song introduced new drummer Kevin Camille and saw the departure of longtime bassist Gonsalves. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia