Review Summary: For those that wish to exist on SiriusXM Octane
Architects should not be blamed for wanting to experiment with their sound. Over the course of eight studio albums, and their last three releases in particular, the band has solidified their reputation for abrasive, intensely emotional metalcore which emphasized intricate guitar riffs, vein-bulging screaming, and minimal dynamics. Listening to an Architects album over the past decade meant raging over political issues on
Lost Forever // Lost Together, questioning our existence on
All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, or learning how to survive after tragedy on
Holy Hell. While hints of melody and electronics broke through the surface of these releases, namely
Holy Hell, the overwhelming majority of these songs were soaked in piss and vinegar and filled with an unquestionable intensity which rejuvenated the outfit’s popularity and sent their career trajectory soaring. Through Sam Carter’s visceral screaming, Tom Searle’s cold, calculated guitar riffs, and Dan Searle’s pounding drums the frustration, confusion, and fury felt utterly genuine.
But what happens when the intricate guitar riffs, vein-bulging screaming, and minimal dynamics are traded for simplistic guitar riffs, smooth singing, and overly structured songwriting? You get
For Those That Wish to Exist - an inconsistent, formulaic, and divisive album which will leave fans of the band wondering if the experimentation featured here is genuine artistic expression, a premeditated shift for commercial viability, or a combination of both.
After the release of the stomping, yet concise “Animals”, the two-faced “Black Lungs”, the moody, soaring “Dead Butterflies” and the harmless, lukewarm “Meteor” it was apparent Architects were headed in a very different direction from their past releases. Unfortunately, nearly every song on offer has been throttled down to a mid-tempo, paint by numbers listen. Subdued electronics give way to a simplistic riff which leads to a short verse which opens into an easily digestible chorus. Cycle through the verse and chorus again. Add a breakdown in the bridge here and there to add just a little spice and throw it back to the chorus one last time. Simply put, expect little in the way of surprises or innovation because these songs are carefully crafted to be played on radio.
Even when the band decides to shift into a heavier approach these moments feel obligatory rather than authentic. It’s telling that on the heaviest moments of the album, such as the bridges of “Impermanence” or “Goliath” the band employs Winston McCall of Parkway Drive and Sam Neil of Biffy Clyro to do the lion’s share of screaming respectively. Hell, even the breakdown on “Impermanence” feels lackadaisical, akin to a mosh call on an A Day to Remember album instead of any neck-strainer Architects used to plunge listeners into. The only song on the album which sounds remotely similar to recent material is “Discourse Is Dead”, which would slot in comfortably as nothing more than a b-side from
Holy Hell.
Architects attempt to expand their sound with the inclusion of “Flight Without Feathers”, “Demi God”, and “Little Wonder”. “Flight Without Feathers” is arguably the quietest song on the album and features Carter nearly whispering over sparse electronics. The piece is oddly refreshing after the feigned hostility of “Impermanence”, but sounds like Architects penned a song immediately after listening to Thrice’s
Water on repeat for a few nights. “Demi-God” attempts to show the band’s more progressive side with soaring strings and flourishes of piano, yet feels unconvincing. “Little Wonder” shows Architects at their most radio-friendly with a singalong chorus and cheeky lyrics such as, “I wanna sing you a different song, one that’s easier to swallow. We all say we wanna be saved, but it’s easier to follow” – which basically serves as the mission statement for the album.
It’s hard to blame Architects for wanting to switch up their approach to music. The band has been delivering nasty guitar riffs, manic screaming, and crushing breakdowns for just shy of twenty years. With that being said,
For Those That Wish to Exist disregards the idea of a subtle transition to a gentler sound and instead delivers fifteen songs daringly showcasing a more refined, restrained, and undoubtedly radio-friendly version of the band. Now the burden lies on the band’s fans to decide for themselves if experimentation featured here is genuine artistic expression, a premeditated shift for commercial viability, or a combination of both. Regardless, listeners of SiriusXM Octane are going to eat this up – and I think that’s the point.
