Album Type:
Album
Date Released:
29th
April 2014
Label:
Season Of Mist Records
The Lucid
Collective - track listing:
1.Lucid Collective
Somnambulation 04:17
2.Scream Feeding
04:21
3.Plague of AM 03:36
4.Fathom Infinite
Depth 05:07
5.Join Us Beyond
04:23
6.Seven Crowns and
the Oblivion Chain 04:49
7.Kairos Chamber
03:18
8.Spontaneous
Generation 04:44
Bio
For the recent
successes of technical death outfit ARCHSPIRE to come into fruition,
certain variables must align. Talent, drive, creativitiy, and
absolute dedication are only a few characteristics one may notice
about the group, and indeed many have experienced the bi-product of
these characteristics:
A tight live
performance, where impressive speeds come grinding to a halt, and in
even less time twist and contort into complex passages rife with
beautiful harmonies, juxtaposed against insidious melodies. An
attention to songwriting, focusing not only on technicality, but
originality as well, take this sub genre and put it on it's ear. And
the combination of musical backgrounds, which is apparent in much of
ARCHSPIRE'S music, showing itself through catchy rhythms, interesting
riffs and arrangements, and progressive passages.
Pushing boundaries
of speed and endurance set only by the genre's top artists, while
remaining accessible and interesting is no small feat. These
Canadians have proven themselves worthy of touring and playing with
bands like Origin, Decapitated, Hate Eternal, Abysmal Dawn, Vomitory,
Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Aborted.
When all the
elements required align in such a way that they form something
original, and interesting, it becomes a catalyst for something new...
and in the case of ARCHSPIRE, All has indeed, Aligned.
Members
Oliver Rae Aleron -
Vocals
Dean Lamb - 8 String
Guitar
Tobi Morelli - 7
String Guitar
Jaron Evil - 6
String Fretless Bass & Live Backing Vocals
Spencer Prewett -
Drums
Review:
Now
there is something about tech-death that just sets my mind to boggle.
Is it the ludicrously fast shredding riffs and solos? The
arrhythmia-inducing drum blasts? The ear-shattering vocal growls
that seem to get faster and faster with each new band that comes
along?
Screw
it. It’s all of those factors and probably more.
Today,
Vancouver’s answer to a napalm hurricane gets the Sludgelord
treatment. Hello there Archspire, and how are you today? By the
sound of your new record – ‘The Lucid Collective’ – things in
your world are dark, twisted, and ferocious. Lovely. In all
seriousness, these guys have made an album with a definite statement
in mind: WE ARE BRUTAL. Wielding eight- and seven-stringed guitars
as well as a six-string fretless bass, their music sweeps the scales
like Arnold Schwarzenegger sweeps up bad guys in his movies. ‘The
Lucid Collective’ is as well-structured as a tyrant’s skyscraper,
and just as imposing.
After
my first listen to the album, the main thought that battered my
already battered mind was: ‘Fuck me! That Oli Peters can sing!’
In addition to his startling prowess as a death growler, this guy is
probably the fastest death metal singer I have ever heard: he spits
out lyrics like a machine gun, and with just as murderous an intent.
His dangerous talent is heard best on ‘Somnambulation’ and
‘Fathom Infinite Depth’, the latter of which fairly blew my brain
out the back of my skull with its mixture of motormouth madness and
drumming destruction. What a beautiful way to be beaten to
submission.
Of
this octet of obliteration, ‘Seven Crowns and the Oblivion Chain’
stands out for me as the quintessential tech-death standard. From
its window-cracking volume to its guitaring masterclass, this entity
fairly smashes other tech-death tunes down into the dirt and then
steals their lunch money. When it finally disappears into the ether
with its understated guitar and bass outro, ‘Seven Crowns and the
Oblivion Chain’ leaves you bruised, wide-eyed, and sonically
satisfied. Although I don’t advocate it, you may need a cigarette
after having listened to it. Just to top you off.
2014
has been a year of great metal albums, and Archspire have made sure
that ‘The Lucid Collective’ will grace many a critic’s list of
albums of the year. It is a brutally uncompromising, expansive
offering, with some genuinely surprising moments and some utterly
skullcrushing riffery. Strap on a helmet and turn up the volume,
Archspire deserve to destroy you!
You
can buy The Lucid Collective from Season Of Mist Records.
Check
the Band from Links Below
Written
by Chris Markwell
Check out this track from the new album.
Check out this track from the new album.
