On the surface, Architect might seem like another technical hardcore band toiling on the Metal Blade/Blackmarket roster. And partly that assumption might be right, but once you give All Is Not Lost a listen, you'll notice some finesse and experimentation floating around under all the brutality. Sure, there's plenty of rampaging hardcore here, like on the violent "Trepanning For Oil" and the breakneck pace of "Hell of the Upsidedown Sinners", but if you listen further, you'll notice some subtlety and complexity that bands like Mastodon, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and ISIS have been able to master, specially on the short instrumental segues. For a barrage of massive guitar riffs, screaming vocals, and bashing rhythms, you can't go wrong with pieces like "The End of It All" and "Collapse the War Engine", two tracks that are sure to wake up the neighbors and have them running for the hills. The most surprising tune here, which sees the band fully embracing their prog rock and avant-garde influences (if indeed they have any) is the closing epic "The Giving Tree", a wild mix of Black Sabbath, King Crimson, DRI, and Present.
There's more than meets the eye here on All Is Not Lost, a pretty interesting extreme metal album that's brimming with all sorts of varied ideas and flavors. For some the hardcore side of the band might be a tad too brutal, but their more experimental leanings are worth looking into, and I'd like to hear them go down that road in more detail on a future release.
Track Listing
- The Awakening
- Sic Semper Tyannis
- 11
- Trepanning For Oil
- 13
- Hell of the Upsidedown Sinners
- The End of It
- Collapse the War Engine
- 33
- Broke Dick Dog
- The Giving Tree
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
