Review Summary: Basically what we expected
Architects is a very hard band to understand. They create two of the most fast paced metalcore albums and top that off with their magnum opus titled Hollow Crown. They are technical, heavy, and most of all fun as hell albums. Clearly I’m a fan of these albums and of course was upset with their last album The Here And Now. It has been said many times why this album was disappointing, and while I agree, it became a nice album to listen to on occasion. With that said, when that album came out everyone in the metal community just went “HUH?” all at once with a huge sigh on the side. Architects saw this and clearly wanted to wash that album out of people’s memories because their new album Daybreaker is coming out only a year later. Daybreaker is Architects way of saying “Sorry” at first by releasing two very well made songs called These Colours Don’t Run and Alpha Omega. While I do really like These Colours Don’t Run with very technical and catchy riffs, the lyrics kind of kill it using a cheesy “America sucks” theme that seems to be straight out of a YouTube video they searched up. Other than the lyrics, the riffs (like I said), vocals by the singer Sam, and even the end breakdown is straight up ear candy. Alpha Omega on the other hand is just plain awesome. The religion themed lyrics are actually pretty decent sending a message I can agree on or just think is pretty cool especially “Its more to me then meets the eye” (Add Transformers joke here). The fast technical riffs remind me of Hollow Crown with a great structure and the cleans were a nice touch, while placed a little awkwardly. With these songs now released Hollow Crown 2.0 was nearly here.
Now we finally have this beast out on record shelves; so how is it? Well the thing is… It’s just okay. YES. Just okay. First off, The Here And Now was an album Architects really wanted to make, trying to find a location with a new sound. With Daybreaker, Architects filled bits and pieces of the map helping them finally find this sound. The problem is that this new sound they made is both an underwhelming one and has a lack of momentum. There are plenty of songs on this album with technicality and melody with songs like Alpha Omega and Outsider Heart. Alpha Omega is probably the best song, which was very disappointing since when it came out I wanted more and better when the album was finally released. It has a similar formula to another song on the album titled Devils Island, which is probably the second best song with an equally great technical melody and catchy chorus. It was released as a single in late 2011 and was decided to be placed on Daybreaker, which was a good idea. Other than these two songs and some gems like the fast paced Father Of Lead, the album just feels rushed but is pretty damn fun. The good majority of the songs just lacked momentum like the intro and the outro (Both with the same formula as the song Hollow Crown). This could be nitpicking, but it seems like there might be TOO much of Sam’s cleans. This brings up another thing that brings this album down and it is the lack of momentum. With little things like the lowering of the volume of Oli Sykes from Bring Me The Horizons vocals on Even If You Win You Are Still A Rat, and the same with Drew York from Stray From the Path on the track Behind The Throne. Little things like this and the constant slow intro’s to songs make this album feel like it is bored of itself. In conclusion, this album is somewhat of a comeback with fast riffs and nice structures with enjoyable songs like Alpha Omega, Outsider Heart, and Devils Island overweighing the bland like Truth Be Told and Even If You Win You Are Still A Rat, but that isn’t saying too much.
Architects early albums like Nightmares and Ruin is like the band climbing the rope in gym class to ring the bell at the top. When they reached it, Hollow Crown was produced and the bell was rung loud. When The Hear And Now was released, Architects slipped down the rope wanting to get down because when they looked down they got scared and the adrenaline wore off. The momentum came back ever so slightly, jolting the band to grab the rope quick and tightly without almost hitting rock bottom. Now Architects have horrible rope burn and a long way back up top. THIS is Daybreaker.
