Nemethia is the fourth Unique Leader release from progressive technical death metal act Arkaik, and continues on with the concept album approach that started two albums ago, centered on a protagonist named Cyrix, a disillusioned character in a dystopian society. Produced, engineered, and mixed by Zack Ohren (Immolation, Fallujah, Suffocation, Decrepit Birth, among others) at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California, and features guest appearances by Joe Haley of Psycroptic, Arde Ostowari formerly of Burning The Masses, Stephen Paulson of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and former Arkaik guitarist Craig Peters, as well as Gabe Seeber from The Kennedy Veil and Decrepit Birth on drums for the entire album. The band itself is rounded out by Jared Christianson (Vocals), Adam Roethlisberger (Bass/Backing Vocals), and Greg Paulson (Guitar/Backing Vocals).
Musically speaking, this is some pretty intense stuff, the arrangements technical yet highly brutal, Christianson's lethal growls spewing over some incredibly complex rhythms and monstrous riffs & technical lead guitar work. Occasional proggy keyboards do pop up at times on sledgehammer tracks like "Of Violence And Pestilence Born" and the lengthy "Order Of Hierogon", but make no mistake about it, this is brutal and highly complex death metal. As all the members help out on vocals, there's an abundance of extreme vocal styles to be found here, including growls, screams, shouts, rasps, bellows, and barks, making for quite the maniacal delivery that works wonders on this material. The brief instrumental "Dweller On The Threshold" provides for a few moments of respite from the pummeling, the Middle Eastern/New Age tones remind of some of Nile's more introspective pieces, but the massive "Futile State" then smashes that into oblivion, with acrobatic drumming and pulverizing riffs coming from every angle. Some incredible guitar work can be heard on the brutal yet highly intricate "The Eupnean Relic", while both "Telegnosis" and "Nexion Stargate " are two of the heaviest, most progressive tracks that you'll likely hear in the death metal genre this year.
Fans of Nile, Immolation, Deeds of Flesh, Decrepit Birth, Suffocation, Psycroptic, Fallujah, and Spawn of Possession will no doubt flock to Nemethia with no reservations. With plenty of jaw dropping musical arrangements, an interesting concept storyline, and no shortage of monstrous brutality, Nemethia is a complete winner for Arkaik.
Track Listing
1. Occultivation 05:19
2. Of Violence And Pestilence Born 05:03
3. Order Of Hierogon 09:33
4. Dweller On The Threshold 03:06
5. Futile State 03:43
6. The Eupnean Relic 05:17
7. Lifting Amnesia 00:55
8. Telegnosis 04:53
9. Nexion Stargate 04:37
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