Review Summary: Well written and performed Christian Death Metal.
Firstly, this is my first ever review so bear with me.
That said, I love this album. The music is brutal at it's height, but elegant and powerful on such tracks as "Night's Sorrow". The intro track leads into the album well with a looming and ominous organ arrangement. Then, without warning, that tracks ends and the listener is blasted right into the musical assault that is "Into Oblivion". Fast paced and technical, the song pounds the listener into submission, then lets up without warning and serenades you with a surprisingly beautiful acoustic piece. Then, right back into the brutality.
Like many, I get irritated at the overuse and abuse of the breakdown. At it's best, the breakdown is amazing, but when abused by every crappy metalcore band in every crappy song (sometimes even twice), it's gets monotonous. However, Becoming the Archetype does it justice on tracks like "The Epigone" (a track which also displays the abused group shout in a good light and is quite excellent live). The lyrics are also dominantly and unashamedly Christian, something that can be decided by the listener as good or bad. The previously mentioned track Epigone proclaims, "Your name is glory, my song is victory and I will keep on singing. There is no opposition, nothing can stand in your way".
Of all tracks on this album, my personal favorite is the eleven-minute "Elegy". This track shines brighter than any other, showing every good side of BTA. It starts off with a nice intro and progresses into one of the heaviest riffs on the album and Jason's roars soon enter. Featuring guest vocals from Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter, the duo devestate the listener with another excellent breakdown. The brutality subsides about five minutes in and a lone piano breaks through the silence. The song thereafter is predominately instrumental, each instrument slowly making it's way back in until the band has returned in full gear. In the last few minutes, Jason begins to bellow and the song ends with a boom.
As far as individual talent, this band soars. Jason Wisdom has lows that threaten to hit the brown note, the drums are fast paced and decisive, the guitars are technical and the bass has very nice fills here and there. There are really no bad tracks, just some that are better than others. A few songs don't feel as heartfelt as others and sort of have a "filler" feel to them. But tracks that really shine include "One Man Parade", "Into Oblivion", "No Fall Too Far", and "Elegy".
Aside from the very few filler songs, there aren't many cons to BTA. Although beautiful and unique, the piano solo on "Elegy" drags a TAD too long. Many bands have vocals in places that would be fine without it, but at points BTA lacks it in heavy places where an all-out roar would suit the song and kick up the brutality another notch. Also rather typical, the bass is hard to hear most of the time unless playing by itself, which is a rather large disappointment seeing as their bassist can carry quite well.
All in all, BTA wears their faith on their sleeves and refuse to conform to anything. They show their instrumental genius on "Elegy and "Night's Sorrow", but also show that they play with the big boys of death metal on "Into Oblivion" and "No Fall Too Far". If you're looking for progressive death metal with not only emotion but powerful and uplifting lyrics, pick this one up.
