Becoming the
Archetype
Terminate Damnation
Review by Andrew F.
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Solid State Records, August 2005
Genre: METAL
Rating: 5 out of 5
Official Site: www.becomingthearchetype.com
Words cannot describe how long I have awaited this album. This band
managed to gain a tremendous amount of fans over the course of many
months, and there is a LOT of hype around this debut album. The question
truly is: does this meet expectations and more, or does it fall short of
the hype? That question was answered with one listen. This album
contains every style of metal wrapped into one: death metal, hardcore,
old-school, etc.
Musically
WOW! THIS ALBUM IS PERFECT! This is one of the most diverse metal albums
ever! Old-school metal guitars rip, roar, rock and shred throughout the
entire album, with menacing drums and bass lines pounding all who listen
into humble submission. All sorts of lightning fast guitar licks,
thundering riffs, quiet acoustic melodies, and epic solos are thrown at
you. This entire album is complete ear candy for all guitarists. These
guys have skill and aren't afraid to show it! The album starts with a
haunting, almost Goth-like instrumental titled "March of the
Dead". An old-style organ plays through a fairly simple and creepy
intro, with drums and guitar eventually dragging in. Its a good intro to
the album, if a bit short. "Into Oblivion" explodes, and I
mean EXPLODES, with a fierce growl and frantic guitar, dozens of
different guitar riffs before stopping slightly for a quick bass line,
and then explodes back. Everything about this track is perfect, from the
insane double-kick drums to the light and airy acoustic bridge.
Definitely one of my favorites on the album. The song ends with a crazy,
shredding solo that truly shows off the skill of their guitarists.
"One Man Parade" follows this same formula, with a punishing
drum intro and again, all sorts of guitar riffs. "Elegy", the
other truly epic track besides "Into Oblivion", is a
masterpiece in everything sense of the word. Here there is not one song,
but rather three in one. The first is an intense, soaring metal
extravaganza. The third is a slow and thoughtful piano track that
continues for several minutes, then the third picks the pace back up and
replays many of the riffs from the first section, only without the
vocals. "Night's Sorrow" and "Denounement" are
extremely peaceful and truly beautiful acoustic tracks that again show
off the guitars. The guitars are truly the highlight of this album, and
no one can say they aren't good. The album ends with "The Trivial
Paroxysm", a diverse track that goes out with a bang, and banging
drums. The only sub-par track on this album is "Ex Nihilo" and
even its still freakin awesome! The guitars sound like they came from an
old-school death metal band. I can't say enough about this truly epic
album. Its a masterpiece, its an extravaganza, its everything that I
hoped for and more.
Lyrically/Vocally
Vocally this band blows every other vocalist out of the water!
Influences from bands such as Opeth, Living Sacrifice, and Zao are
apparent, and Wisdom perfects every style! His piercing shrieks will
send shivers down your spine, slice through Satan's head and possibly
make you wet your pants. His deep death metal growl will haunt you and
frighten you, but you still want to hear more. His most common vocal
style, a mix of growl and shout, is bombastic and humbling. Nobody does
it better than him. Nobody. No questions asked. Lyrically this album
smites Satan right on the forehead. "Elegy" has a clear
message about our moral decline, and really hits the point home.
"Ex Nihilo" is a war cry for Christians to stand up and go to
war with Satan, and "Into Oblivion" expresses sadness for a
lost friend. I love the lyrics and they have a clear message of hope,
love, and war.
I believe this deserve the Album of the Year award. Its amazing, and no
metal fan should be without it. Its the best metal record I've ever
heard in my life, as well as the most complete one. BUY IT TODAY! YOU
WILL NEVER, EVER, SPEND YOUR MONEY ON A BETTER CD!