Arsis United in Regret
Willowtip Records WT049 November 14th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Arsiss third outing in as many years is predictable, offering nary a surprise yet delivering what weve come to expect from Malone and company guitar-centric melodeath that is, above all, kickass. Proving their abilities and consequent value from the outset with the highly-lauded A Celebration of Guilt in 2004, and cementing it further with the epic-based EP A Diamond for Disease, United in Regret sees Arsis in excellent form, as usual, but not quite able to surpass their finest hour.
Like their previous installments, UiR contains similar pros and cons. On the pro side: the musicianship is of virtuoso quality without being over-the-top, pretentious, or masturbatory; there exist compelling and intricate compositions (Oh, the Humanity, United in Regret, Lust Before the Maggots Conquest) that will eventually find their way onto an Arsis best-of, if one ever comes to fruition; and the artwork and layout are simply well-done. On the con side: the production could be much better, since its muddier than optimal, though it is sufficient; the lyrics arent anything special, partially due to their redundancy; and the 3+-minute cover of Depeche Modes The Things You Said, which thankfully doesnt bring the album to a close, makes up part of the 36-minute total length. While I was skeptical that theyd be able to overpower A Celebration of Guilt, I was hoping wed receive more material, but to be fair, at the rate theyre creating and unleashing music, Arsis will provide eager musicgoers with a new record every year or two.
With that being said, the highlights are nearly obvious since they stand out so clearly, and if youve been on board with the Malone/Van Dyne tagteam before, United in Regret will be reassurance, although its too short and not without its individual flaws. Still, Arsis rules regardless. Perhaps itd be in their best interest, however, to take 2007 off to give their fans and themselves a breather prior to returning in 2008 with yet another killer full-length.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Arsis Website
Official Willowtip Records Website
Willowtip Records WT049 November 14th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Arsiss third outing in as many years is predictable, offering nary a surprise yet delivering what weve come to expect from Malone and company guitar-centric melodeath that is, above all, kickass. Proving their abilities and consequent value from the outset with the highly-lauded A Celebration of Guilt in 2004, and cementing it further with the epic-based EP A Diamond for Disease, United in Regret sees Arsis in excellent form, as usual, but not quite able to surpass their finest hour.
Like their previous installments, UiR contains similar pros and cons. On the pro side: the musicianship is of virtuoso quality without being over-the-top, pretentious, or masturbatory; there exist compelling and intricate compositions (Oh, the Humanity, United in Regret, Lust Before the Maggots Conquest) that will eventually find their way onto an Arsis best-of, if one ever comes to fruition; and the artwork and layout are simply well-done. On the con side: the production could be much better, since its muddier than optimal, though it is sufficient; the lyrics arent anything special, partially due to their redundancy; and the 3+-minute cover of Depeche Modes The Things You Said, which thankfully doesnt bring the album to a close, makes up part of the 36-minute total length. While I was skeptical that theyd be able to overpower A Celebration of Guilt, I was hoping wed receive more material, but to be fair, at the rate theyre creating and unleashing music, Arsis will provide eager musicgoers with a new record every year or two.
With that being said, the highlights are nearly obvious since they stand out so clearly, and if youve been on board with the Malone/Van Dyne tagteam before, United in Regret will be reassurance, although its too short and not without its individual flaws. Still, Arsis rules regardless. Perhaps itd be in their best interest, however, to take 2007 off to give their fans and themselves a breather prior to returning in 2008 with yet another killer full-length.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Arsis Website
Official Willowtip Records Website
