Sunday 25 January 2009

Review - Becoming The Archetype - Dichotomy

Becoming The Archetype - Dichotomy

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6 out of 10

The term Frankenstein has many different uses. It can mean a series of monster/horror films, the main character from said films, a boy I used to go to school with who had a very high forehead and small hair or in the case of Christian types Becoming The Archetype, it could relate to their third album "Dichotomy". Which is not a bad thing as such.

It touches on nearly all forms of extreme music and genres, throwing in everything from Black metal melodies to symphonic choruses to brutal beatdowns, all reined in by a very tight band and a quality production courtesy of Devin Townsend.

Imagine, if you will, Mastodon if they were brought up on Emperor and Iron Maiden rather than The Melvins and Metallica; skilfully swapping between styles and genres with a very natural ease and grace. Blastbeats nip in and out, duelling leads, screaming, spoken word and melodic crooning sweep over the top.

It's a well played, produced and executed album with tight musicianship and it's well written, but it still sounds to disparate to me. It reminds me off the first Shadows Fall album. There is all the potential there; it's just not quite set up.

Listen: www.myspace.com/becomingthearchetype

Tracklist:
1. Mountain of Souls
2. Dichotomy
3. Artificial Immortality
4. Self Existent
5. St Anne’s Lullaby
6. Ransom
7. Evil Unseen
8. How Great Thou Art
9. Deep Heaven
10. End Of The Age

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