- Apr 5, 2003
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Axamenta - Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture
Shiver Records - SHR501 - May 26th, 2006
By Brandon Strader
Taking over in the black metal mainstream comes Axamenta. Look out Dimmu Borgir and the like, your time is up. From the sliding minor chords of the introduction to "Incognation", you know this album is going to be good. It proceeds to go above and beyond all expectations!
Some great tom work and a few electronic beeps lead into the rest of the song, with some proficient piano and keyboard work, incredible percussion, thrashing and melodic guitar work, and fantastic black metal screams and low growls that all stays consistently good throughout the album. The solos near the end of "Incognation" are perfectly done. "Demons Shelter Within" opens with a fantastic piano arrangement that is eventually accompanied by the brutal guitars and fast double-bass, all smothered by a powerful scream. The rhythmic leads are awesome, and they lead into an orchestrated chorus with awesome arrangements and cool choir vocals. The bridge between this chorus back into the verse has screams that sound like they are in a different language and it really sounds wicked. You gotta love it when people growl those rolled R's from other languages. He almost sounded like a pirate. The low growls after the middle-section of the song sound very evil, and well done! The orchestration and great guitar work prove that Axamenta should be able to take over in the "black metal mainstream" as they stay more true to the BM roots yet also implement a ton of modern influences.
Honestly, I don't recall if I have actually owned a black metal record recently where every single song was exciting and fresh, and I could listen all the way through. Because of that, Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture is a real treasure. Not only that, but it stays good for a lot longer than your average black metal record. The verse in "Ashes To Flesh" is awesome with its keyboard arrangements that lead up to the lead-fueled chorus with the first appearance of clean vocals on this album! It's definitely one of the more uplifting moments of the album, and the solos half way through said song are downright perfect. "Nation In Atrophy" introduces the violin player, and more awesome keyboard arrangements and those crushing low growls! Another great chorus in this song, too, and more outstanding orchestrations as well! There are so many great moments throughout the whole album, you really should hear it for yourself. It's the art of black metal taken to a whole new level.
The title track, "Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture", is a somewhat short instrumental. It opens with some awesome orchestrations, eventually accompanied by heavy guitars, and wacky layers of people laughing. It's pretty weird. Following that track is "Threnody For An Endling", featuring the vocal stylings of Daniel Gildenlöw of The Flower Kings fame... Just kidding, Pain of Salvation! He puts in a great performance, though it is typical Gildenlow work with the spoken dialogue at one point and the whole shebang. Actually, he also whistles for this song, so perhaps we're witnessing some new dynamics of the Gildenlow sound! The especially brilliant thing about this track are the blues solos, which are extremely well done! The track does seem a bit awkward amongst the others, and sticks out like a sore thumb, especially when the following track bursts back into black metal with brutal screams. Still, it is good to have that little bit of peace on this very agressive album! Axamenta is destined for greatness, and with Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture, they are one step closer.
9/10
UM's Review Rating Scale
Official Axamenta Website
Official Shiver Records Website
Shiver Records - SHR501 - May 26th, 2006
By Brandon Strader
Taking over in the black metal mainstream comes Axamenta. Look out Dimmu Borgir and the like, your time is up. From the sliding minor chords of the introduction to "Incognation", you know this album is going to be good. It proceeds to go above and beyond all expectations!
Some great tom work and a few electronic beeps lead into the rest of the song, with some proficient piano and keyboard work, incredible percussion, thrashing and melodic guitar work, and fantastic black metal screams and low growls that all stays consistently good throughout the album. The solos near the end of "Incognation" are perfectly done. "Demons Shelter Within" opens with a fantastic piano arrangement that is eventually accompanied by the brutal guitars and fast double-bass, all smothered by a powerful scream. The rhythmic leads are awesome, and they lead into an orchestrated chorus with awesome arrangements and cool choir vocals. The bridge between this chorus back into the verse has screams that sound like they are in a different language and it really sounds wicked. You gotta love it when people growl those rolled R's from other languages. He almost sounded like a pirate. The low growls after the middle-section of the song sound very evil, and well done! The orchestration and great guitar work prove that Axamenta should be able to take over in the "black metal mainstream" as they stay more true to the BM roots yet also implement a ton of modern influences.
Honestly, I don't recall if I have actually owned a black metal record recently where every single song was exciting and fresh, and I could listen all the way through. Because of that, Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture is a real treasure. Not only that, but it stays good for a lot longer than your average black metal record. The verse in "Ashes To Flesh" is awesome with its keyboard arrangements that lead up to the lead-fueled chorus with the first appearance of clean vocals on this album! It's definitely one of the more uplifting moments of the album, and the solos half way through said song are downright perfect. "Nation In Atrophy" introduces the violin player, and more awesome keyboard arrangements and those crushing low growls! Another great chorus in this song, too, and more outstanding orchestrations as well! There are so many great moments throughout the whole album, you really should hear it for yourself. It's the art of black metal taken to a whole new level.
The title track, "Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture", is a somewhat short instrumental. It opens with some awesome orchestrations, eventually accompanied by heavy guitars, and wacky layers of people laughing. It's pretty weird. Following that track is "Threnody For An Endling", featuring the vocal stylings of Daniel Gildenlöw of The Flower Kings fame... Just kidding, Pain of Salvation! He puts in a great performance, though it is typical Gildenlow work with the spoken dialogue at one point and the whole shebang. Actually, he also whistles for this song, so perhaps we're witnessing some new dynamics of the Gildenlow sound! The especially brilliant thing about this track are the blues solos, which are extremely well done! The track does seem a bit awkward amongst the others, and sticks out like a sore thumb, especially when the following track bursts back into black metal with brutal screams. Still, it is good to have that little bit of peace on this very agressive album! Axamenta is destined for greatness, and with Ever-Arch-I-Tech-Ture, they are one step closer.
9/10
UM's Review Rating Scale
Official Axamenta Website
Official Shiver Records Website
