Sweden’s Beseech makes a giant leap forward on 2002′s Souls Highway. The gothic metal performances, sonic detail, and dense arrangements are a vast improvement when compared to the band’s prior efforts. The guitars and drums are prominent and thick; however, this Napalm Records release isn’t particularly heavy, as Beseech adhere to the Gothenburg sound’s more lyrical tradition. New male vocalist Erik Molarin’s delivery perfectly compliments Lotta Höglin’s airy tones, and the rest of the group (drummer Jonas Strömberg, guitarists Klas Bohlin and Robert Spånglund, bassist Daniel Elofsson, and keyboard player Mikael Back) each demonstrate dramatic technical improvement. The slightly more doom-inflected From a Bleeding Heart and Black Emotion are both respectable outings, but Souls Highway is easily the best collection of songs and the richest recording thus far from Beseech. – Vincent Jeffries