Archspire – "Bleed the Future"

I only discovered Archspire a couple of weeks ago. I was blown away. And all the more so after several spins of this, their fourth long-player.

If you think you know tech-death, and whether you like the subgenre or not, you have to check out Archspire. The fact that human beings are able to construct and execute music like this is starting to defy comprehension.

For a start, Archspire play fast. And I'm not just talking regular tech-death fast; I'm talking the most rapid machine-gun-snare drum I've ever heard. The only bands that come close within my frame of reference are Cattle Decapitation and Origin.

Same thing goes for the guitars. The rhythm figures (when they're consistent enough to count as actual figures) are often frantically shredding, and often incorporate tapping and sweep-picking. Even the bass guitar – admirably clear in the soundscape, too – taps, slaps, and shreds its way through the mechanically merciless monster that is "Bleed the Future".

Oli Peters' ultrasonic delivery of the tongue-twisting lyrics matches the skill level of any talented rapper – but with a goddamn growl on top.

Even the vocal precision is stunning. Oli Peters' growl might not be as deep and guttural as I would've liked it, but his ultrasonic delivery of the tongue-twisting lyrics matches the skill level of any talented rapper – but with a goddamn growl on top. To be honest, I haven't even bothered getting into the lyrics yet, because the music is so demanding.

Archspire's extreme take on an extreme subgenre has so many variations, it's impossible to keep up for several listens. I must've heard the album 5 times, and I still don't remember entire songs – I remember an overall inhumanly mechanic, schizophrenic atmosphere.

This schizophrenic element is worth dwelling upon. Several breaks, intros and bridges within the superbly controlled cacophony are peaceful little pitstops of clean guitar figures in a pure minor key.

In fact, the use of an unmistakably Opeth-esque pure minor is a surprising element in something otherwise so dissonant. Especially since it also appears in the riffs and solos. Some leads are reminiscent of Meshuggah's long, grieving reverb howls; others of Dragonforce's neck-breaking virtuosity.

The one, big complaint here is, as I said, that it's impossible to remember a whole lot. Both from the album in total, and also from the single tracks. (I deliberately refrain from calling it "songs"; this is something way different.)

This isn't music; this is one, gigantic, intricate, systematically destructive inhuman machinery.

Many, if not most of the isolated pieces have no necessary connection with the preceding ones, but might as well have been featured in other tracks. Whereas other tech-death groups like Decapitated and Psycroptic have memorable stand-out pieces, you're not exactly gonna find a "Spheres of Madness" or "Carriers of the Plague" here.

Maybe Archspire's music is best enjoyed in small doses. And maybe it takes much longer to seriously get into than any other band in the genre – which wouldn't surprise me. Because what the "songs" might lack in personality, it's impossible to express in words how awe-striking these guys are.

Archspire's personality consists in their ability to write and play faster, more complex, and more superiorly precise than any other tech-death band in the world. This isn't music; this is one, gigantic, intricate, systematically destructive inhuman machinery.

Be afraid.

Rating: 5 out of 6

Genre: Technical death metal
Release date: 29/10/2021
Label: Season of Mist

Producer: Dave Otero