Review Summary: Local Indie Band Poised For Big Break....
Archspire’s ascent after
Bleed The Future was a delight to watch. Be it due to the all-powerful algorithm or simple word of mouth, the album launched an already respected band into heights unimagined by its members. Winning the Juno award the band had previously lost 4 years earlier for best hard/metal album of the year, the pervading notion was that this recognition and success could not have happened to a better group of guys. For whatever reason up to this point, the absolute virtuosity of each member of Archspire had been masking their down-to-earth and warmly appreciative collective persona, making them exceedingly easy to root for once the stereotype of “tech-death band” melted away. Interesting then, the amount of off-season drama the band found themselves in. It started with the departure of founding member and driving force behind the band’s ignitable sound drummer Spencer Prewett, a loss many fans doubted could be properly replaced (more on that later). Secondly, was the band’s decision to leave Season of Mist and go independent, starting a Kickstarter and raising over $400k CAD to record, promote, and distribute
Too Fast To Die. This decision confusingly rubbed many fans the wrong way, upset that Archspire would bet on themselves and ask fans to fund their new album rather than go with the soul-sucking revenue “sharing” model of life on a label. So after navigating all that, how did the music turn out?
Well simply put,
Too Fast To Die is sheer surgical ferocity. The band has made no secret of their intention to dial up the speed on this album beyond even what
Bleed The Future reached and the guys pull it off with a gleeful abandon. Like in previous releases, this speed can be heavily attributed due to the highly rhythmic nature of the album’s compositions, particularly the interplay between Oli Peters percussive vocal delivery and the absurd drumming by newcomer Spencer Moore. Formerly of Inferi, Archspire’s newest Spencer fills in previous Spencer’s shoes admirably, if not a bit safely. Moore’s command of his kit was never in question, as the 2nd track “Red Goliath” makes apparent. It’s difficult to overstate the speed in which this song blasts off, emphasized by the juxtaposition of the soaring goth melody of the guitars. Moore’ endurance in this track and really the entire album deserves props but unfortunately “Red Goliath” is one of the few tracks where Moore shows some extended variety in his writing, with some short punky leads and interesting cymbal work peppered throughout. The rest of the album sees the drumming laser-focused on speed and power, and while it’s not exactly diverse, it works beautifully.
Now don’t misunderstand, the lack of diversity in the drumming and the overall focus on speed does not mean
Too Fast To Die is rote or mechanical.
Too Fast To Die sees Archspire continuing to infuse their sound with interesting ideas, addictive hooks to grab onto, and technical flourishes throughout the runtime that allow the band’s personality to shine through the carnage. I used the word “surgical” to describe the onslaught here on purpose. The meticulous nature in which
Too Fast To Die was constructed is immediately evident. “Deadbolt the Backward” leans heavily into the low-end sound with some of the album’s only chugging along with some mighty tasty riffage throughout. The intro to “Carrion Ladder” is also an easy stand-out. Oli’s fires his rap-growls with the speed of a machine gun in an impossible to comprehend (or emulate) exhibition that’s equal parts awe-inspiring, zany, and dare I say even catchy. The rest of the band comes in with a dizzying carnival-inspired lead that further demonstrates and cements the group’s kaleidoscopic method of writing.
“Limb of Leviticus” stands out as probably the most “straightforward” electrically fast obliterating track on the album and shows that while speed was the name of the game, the group still understands the importance of dynamics. The song and others contain slower melodically-forward slower world-building sections within
Too Fast To Die that add some moody flavoring as well as the listener to come up for air before the next wave crashes down. It’s hard to find much fault with
Too Fast To Die if you’re a fan of Archspire. A new line-up and business direction appears to have not slowed the guys down but instead galvanized them with a new level of focus. The speed and sheer number of notes flying at you may make
Too Fast To Die a tad mystifying but once that initial shock wears off, there’s gold to be found. These tracks are tighter than skinny jeans, a technical marvel and filled with hooks and charisma. And for those who want to simply get their face melted, position yourself in the front row when they start playing the title track, your jaw will be on the floor.
