Archaic Winter - The Psychology of Death
Metalbolic Records - MR004 - December 1, 2006
By George Grant
Archaic Winter open their debut album, The Psychology of Death, with a sound clip that really lacks much or any emotional weight. The music that follows is very much in that same vein.
However, dont be too quick to dismiss Archaic Winter completely. The bands mid-paced style of death metal is solid in its execution. The tremolo riffs that dominate Archaic Winters guitars are quite catchy and help to develop a solid groove in the songs. This style mirrors very much Deaths Leprosy album. Although the drums are programmed, the relative speed of the album does not make it an issue. Had the band increased the speed then I believe the programmed drums would be much more of a problem. The vocals performed by Rob Luckie provide a deep growl that while consistent throughout the album does not become tedious.
Not everything is solid on this release though. Despite the successes on The Psychology of Death, Archaic Winter does have some short comings. Most notably is with regards to the guitar playing on the album. At times the playing seems very rigid and forced. The most obvious is in the opening bass lines of Wither. Yet, this isnt the only instance as there are a few moments on the album where the guitars sound mechanical. Given the dominance that the guitars have on the albums mix I would like to have seen Greg Maupin, who handles all instrument duties in the duo, step up the playing and make the ideas flow better. Also, the lack of diversity in the riffing will make repeated listens hard as time goes on. The simple clean sections to heavier sections do not offer as much variety as is needed. The band should place more changes within the heavier section to keep the listener engaged. Theres only so much tremolo a death metal fan can take.
Overall, Archaic Winter has presented a debut album that while lacking in some sections does offer an enjoyable listen. Fans of old-school mid-paced death metal may be interested in the style offered by the band. Hopefully for their next effort Archaic Winter will improve on its riffing and present a much more varied release.
Official Archaic Winter Myspace
Official Metalbolic Records Website
Metalbolic Records - MR004 - December 1, 2006
By George Grant
Archaic Winter open their debut album, The Psychology of Death, with a sound clip that really lacks much or any emotional weight. The music that follows is very much in that same vein.
However, dont be too quick to dismiss Archaic Winter completely. The bands mid-paced style of death metal is solid in its execution. The tremolo riffs that dominate Archaic Winters guitars are quite catchy and help to develop a solid groove in the songs. This style mirrors very much Deaths Leprosy album. Although the drums are programmed, the relative speed of the album does not make it an issue. Had the band increased the speed then I believe the programmed drums would be much more of a problem. The vocals performed by Rob Luckie provide a deep growl that while consistent throughout the album does not become tedious.
Not everything is solid on this release though. Despite the successes on The Psychology of Death, Archaic Winter does have some short comings. Most notably is with regards to the guitar playing on the album. At times the playing seems very rigid and forced. The most obvious is in the opening bass lines of Wither. Yet, this isnt the only instance as there are a few moments on the album where the guitars sound mechanical. Given the dominance that the guitars have on the albums mix I would like to have seen Greg Maupin, who handles all instrument duties in the duo, step up the playing and make the ideas flow better. Also, the lack of diversity in the riffing will make repeated listens hard as time goes on. The simple clean sections to heavier sections do not offer as much variety as is needed. The band should place more changes within the heavier section to keep the listener engaged. Theres only so much tremolo a death metal fan can take.
Overall, Archaic Winter has presented a debut album that while lacking in some sections does offer an enjoyable listen. Fans of old-school mid-paced death metal may be interested in the style offered by the band. Hopefully for their next effort Archaic Winter will improve on its riffing and present a much more varied release.
Official Archaic Winter Myspace
Official Metalbolic Records Website
