For Brighton’s top flight Metal band Architects, the pressure could not be higher.
Their last album The Here and Now received poor praise from critics and fans, many slandered the albums somewhat commercialised direction, as a number of the tracks made daytime airplay and the band should stick to what they do best which was epitomised in their 2009 album Hollow Crown, which seems like a lifetime away for the quartet.
Their latest release Lost Forever//Lost Together stated, as a return to their old ways, but many will be left disappointed. The production lead by Fredrik Nordstrom is superbly laid out and his attention to detail is present throughout, if Architects wanted to go back to their tech- grove ways Nordstrom is a worthy appointed choice, but it seems the album is a crossroads where the band couldn’t make up their mind of what sound they truly wanted.
Opening numbers Gravedigger, Naysayer and Broken Cross feature some fantastic riffs and tech guitar chugs but are let down by the awful vocals of Sam Carter. The somewhat “clean” parts are awful; the heavy shouts are nowhere near as good as his talent has shown before. The vocals aren’t matching; the band wants to be tech and vocals want to be metalcore it’s a constant state of aural confusion. The album struggles to redeem itself with Colony Collapse and Youth is Wasted on the Young which features better vocal and band transitions but as its only positives.
Architects need to head back to the drawing board and decide what band they want to be. This transitional album is a poor statement of the talented band they are. Fans are advised to pick up a copy of Periphery’s album Clear and call the tower and let them know Architects Hollow Crown jewels are missing.
