Archspire
All Shall Align


4.5
superb

Review

by LoneWanderer USER (8 Reviews)
December 12th, 2011 | 58 replies


Release Date: 2011 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Well composed and tightly executed, "All Shall Align" is the perfect example of technical death metal par excellence.

Band Lineup:

Oli Peters - Vocals
Tobi Morelli - Guitars
Dean Lamb - Guitars
Jaron Evil - Bass, Vocals
Spencer Prewett - Drums

Archspire are one of the many bands that populate the rich and vibrant Canadian metal scene. The band plays a commanding blend of technical death metal a la Origin and the slightest trace of melody that make the music very tasteful.

Front man Oli Peters' growls are multifarious in their capacity. His frantic vocals race through a frighteningly large number of words and phrases in any given song. The fury with which some of the lyrics are delivered is quite commendable. Peters also manages to vary his delivery from his growls to higher pitch screams without compromising his speed. The vocals are definitely one of the stand-out features of Archspire's sound.

As expected for a technical death metal band, the instrumentation is top-notch. Spencer Prewett's drum work is fast and relentless providing the uncompromising atmosphere music of this kind needs. Tracks like "Deathless Ringing" and "Ancient of Ancients" are replete with examples of some insane drumming. Jaron Evil's bass is well heard throughout the mix and his execution of the complex bass lines on “Ghosts of The Silent Tongue” proves his caliber.

Tobi Morelli and Dean Lamb combine to provide a pretty technical spectrum of riffs that climb up and down the scales at impressive speeds. Sweep picking is employed almost everywhere in the album but the riffs are varied enough to keep the listener interested. The songwriting on "All Shall Align" allows for songs to morph into calm acoustic breaks for short periods of time. These transitions that pop up in tracks like "Archspire" and "Rapid Elemental Dissolve" seem fitting and catch the listener off guard.

Lyrical themes involve a fascinating hybrid of misanthropy, alien invasion and science fiction. The lyrics have a Messuhgah-esque touch to them and are pretty intriguing. While the music is well produced and presented on the whole, some guitar parts may sound a little too artificial and overproduced. However, this is only me being nit-picky. In a nutshell, Archspire have managed to create a monster of an album that proves to be a thrilling ride for both newcomers and seasoned listeners of technical death metal.

Rating: 4.5/5



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user ratings (207)
3.7
great
other reviews of this album
DeathByAstonishment (4.5)
Either your face will melt or your head will explode. Either way, Archspire leaves no survivors....

Jalix (3.5)
Complexity that has restraint allowing for actual musicality with all instrumentality being actually...



Comments:Add a Comment 
LoneWanderer
December 12th 2011


182 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

It has been a while since I wrote something...so yeah be gentle..: )



Criticism welcome as always!

MO
December 12th 2011


24138 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

My guitarist told me to check this band out, gonna get on that.



"fast and relentless providing the uncompromising atmosphere music of this kind need"



add an s, review looks good

Acanthus
December 12th 2011


9812 Comments


I saw the "Band Lineup" and thought I was getting into a track by track, instead I found a review almost at Pizzamachine length.

Pos'd for this line - Lyrical themes involve a fascinating hybrid of misanthropy, alien invasion and science fiction.

Eulogize
December 12th 2011


2996 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Pos'd. And my god are his vocals insane.

LoneWanderer
December 12th 2011


182 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

The sentence is corrected...thank you for that...: )



@Acanthus The lyrics are a lot of fun...though it can be hard trying to decipher them from Peters' vocals...



Yeah Eulogize...the vocals are pretty insane...

AfterTheBreakdown
December 12th 2011


7245 Comments


This needed a review. Pos'd

bloozclooz
December 12th 2011


1770 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

the title track is sexy, the rest is forgettable. still glad to see that this got a review

LoneWanderer
December 13th 2011


182 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRpAcAL3Uek



That's the title track for those who want a sample...though I disagree with bloozclooz...The entire album is pretty strong..

MrMarketingDirector
December 14th 2011


52 Comments


What is this, a drum machine/quad bass?

ITsHxCTOASTER
December 14th 2011


2520 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

Pretty sure this sucks

Eulogize
December 14th 2011


2996 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Pretty sure you're incorrect.

Shiduba
January 19th 2012


424 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Best tech death ever? I think so.

CakeWithCream
February 20th 2012


1065 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

this is seriously amazing, torn between a 4 and a 4.5, wish we had a 4.25 rating

Shiduba
February 21st 2012


424 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Just 5 it dude

ITsHxCTOASTER
February 21st 2012


2520 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

2 it

CakeWithCream
February 21st 2012


1065 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

settled for 4.5 after listening to it several more times last night, the vocals on Ascendence to the Summoning are insane. and yeah it's not poor by any means

LysergicLollypops
February 26th 2012


77 Comments


Tech. death par excellance indeed.

DeathByAstonishment
May 15th 2012


268 Comments


This album tears up ass. Here marks the next step in the evolution of extreme tech. death. Can't wait for another album.

ITsHxCTOASTER
May 15th 2012


2520 Comments

Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off

Sucks

Eulogize
May 15th 2012


2996 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

This is good. Fuck you, Toaster.



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