ALBUM REVIEW: Bleed The Future – Archspire
Forging their name based on new levels of extremity with each release, ARCHSPIRE have been consistent in their delivery of unrelenting extreme technical death metal. The Canadian quintet’s technicality with playing and piecing together the forces they compose has meant nothing so far has fallen short of a barrage of blistering riffs, guttural vocals and blast-beats that only dreams are made of. Due to COVID-19, ARCHSPIRE‘s plans to tour in 2020 went scathed, which meant that with more time on their hands being in a global pandemic, their latest and fourth studio album, Bleed The Future, has had more pre-production than ever. Now, it’s a test to see if that extra pre-production time has paid off and how it has refined their sound.
One of the many things that has made ARCHSPIRE stand out amongst their other technical death metal peers is their insane speed. Bleed The Future wastes no time in showing that they still have it in them to go one step further — opening track Drone Corpse Aviator is straight in like a throat-punch with how ridiculously fast it is. It feels impossible to imagine how one can play at this tempo, let alone four obviously talented musicians and one vocalist who can keep up at a rate that would make most pass out with lack of coming up for air.
The fascinating thing is, the quintet haven’t lost their catchy riffs, solos and thick bass grooves in the midst of the chaos. Abandon The Linear is a shining example of how Jared Smith can play his instrument with such speed and yet show technique, melodic composure and flow in rhythm. The song in itself is one of the slower paced ones on the album, which isn’t much slower than the speed of light it seems, but Smith‘s bass solo is a stream of funk-infused grooves that adds a layer that maintains your attention without a moments break. Whereas the fretwork from Dean Lamb and Tobi Morelli on Drain Of Incarnation is delicately intricate and emotive before it launches into one of the strongest songs on the album. It showcases the talents of the entire band regarding their chosen instruments and how they can still maintain the signature quick assault that has been noted in their career.
When it comes to speed and death metal, even if it is tech-death, sometimes it’s nice to have that moment to sit back and appreciate just what can go into writing a well-constructed song. Reverie On The Onyx features an extract of classical music and whilst it may not be as much of an assault as its predeceasing songs on the album, it’s a fantastic highlight into just how much training and practicing these musicians, and plenty others have, to create a genre that isn’t always considered as eloquent as it actually is.
Bleed The Future makes its 2017 predecessor, Relentless Mutation, seem like a walk in the park in comparison to what ARCHSPIRE have delivered this time around. The album has yet again surpassed and gone beyond any expectation that was initially there previously. It is unrelenting in how heavy it is, but again, the speed is on a whole new level this time around. COVID-19 may have thwarted the plans of ARCHSPIRE‘s 2020 tour, but, things happen for a reason — it gave this album the love and attention it deserved just by allowing more time to focus on the pre-production. Bleed The Future is unquestionably the most refined ARCHSPIRE have ever been, yet their most filthiest and neck-breaking work at the same time. The Canadian quintet have well and truly outdone themselves yet again this time around.
Rating: 8/10
Bleed The Future is out now via Season of Mist.
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