By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 29/09/2017
Label: Unique Leader Records
There are riffs, leads, changes,
orchestral flourishes, contrasting vocals, epics, face melters and so on. This
is not as immediate a record as “Lucid Dawn”, but it is more ambitious and I
suspect that it will reveal depths that Arkaik's previous releases have not
reached. A stunning effort.
“Nemethia “CD//DD
track listing:
1). Occultivation
2). Of Violence And Pestilence Born
3). Order Of The Hierogon
4). Dweller On The Threshold
5). Futile State
6). The Eupnean Relic
7). Lifting Amnesia
8). Telegnosis
9). Nexion Stargate
The Review:
Arkaik
return with another slice of state of the art tech-death. After the excellent “Lucid Dawn” almost exactly two years
ago, the band have not rested on their laurels and have once again come up with
an album's worth of shredding beastly metal. As I noted last time around, the
dedication to their chosen craft is absolutely admirable. In 2015 I injected a
little humour into the review, along with praise, but that humour may have done
the band a disservice- “Lucid Dawn”
is still in semi regular rotation for me to this day which proves that these
guys may be practising in the garage every spare hour, but it is not for
nothing by any means- they made a fantastic slab of metal two years ago. With
that in mind, I was really looking forward to this record.
There
are more detours this time around- classical-esque sections here and there to
offer light and shade, plus a thick and muscular sound which is different
enough to previous records to mark the album out, but clear enough to display
the talents of those involved. This is impressive stuff, of that there is no
doubt. Opener “Occultivation” is a
dynamic track of violence and force with suitably widdly leads.
The
synth/mock orchestral intro for “Of
Violence and Pestilence Born” leads into a maelstrom of time changes,
growled and Shrieked vocals and blasting. Heavy stuff- and hard to follow, too.
There are surprises- the 9.34 of “Order
of Hierogon” takes in choral effects, piano, orchestral synths and brutally
efficient death metal. To keep this up for close to ten minutes is pretty
sensational. Easy listening this is most certainly not, though and as a listener
this album demands attention and will tax you.
In
amongst the nine tracks, there are synth/ambient and instrumental pieces such
as “Dweller On The Threshold” and “Listing Amnesia” and they fit rather
nicely with the more straightforward likes of “Futile State”. Please note that straightforward does not mean easy!
There is also serpentine riffing in “Telegnosis”
as well as brutal blasting. There are enough twists and turns in that track
alone for an average metal band's full album, but Arkaik
make it sound easy.
The
line up changes seem to have not affected the band one jot- this stuff is as
technical and as brutal as it gets. By the time of closer “Nexion Stargate”, there will have been more than enough of all
aspects to satisfy the most pedantic of listeners. There are riffs, leads,
changes, orchestral flourishes, contrasting vocals, epics, face melters and so
on. This is not as immediate a record as “Lucid
Dawn”, but it is more ambitious and I suspect that it will reveal depths
that Arkaik's previous releases have not reached.
A stunning effort.
“Nementhia” is available
here
Band
info: facebook
