Architect - Ghost of the Salt Water Machines
Metal Blade
Metalcore (early style)
9 songs (38'38")
Release year: 2008
Metal Blade, Architect's Myspace
Reviewed by Drew
Architect is not pretty. They are not out for subtlety. There are a few times they shy from the offense, but they spend most of their time going straight for the throat. The thing I enjoy about this band is that they have grounds in the same sort of technical metalcore that bands like Coalesce and early Mastodon did (y'know, before the word "metalcore" meant guy-liner, watered down Scandinavian metal, br00tal breakdowns and "emotional" [read: cheesy] clean vocals). Architect relies on none of these things, opting for colossal riffs, thick pounding drums, and an abrasive hardcore wail.  

Lyrically they have never been the most positive of bands, but things like "When It's all said and done, God take us all one by one. When it's all said and done, everyone dies alone" from the idiosyncratically titled I am Become Death just don't seem to have any penetrable point… presented more as gospel than opinion. And anyway, really, how cliché is a lyric like that?  

All is Not Lost, Architect's debut was very promising, and little has changed musically in the year since. They have added some moments of ambient elements here and there, but their approach has stayed essentially the same. Expect them to incessantly bludgeon you over the head with mid to fast tempo, early metalcore and sludge riffs with lyrics that can be at times preachy, but in general seem straight from the heart.

Although this record isn't at all genre defining, nor will it change the face of metalcore, it is still a very solid record with plenty of heavy and attitude if that's what your looking for. Recommended if you like Knut, Engineer, Coalesce, Gaza, Eyehategod, Botch, and Deadguy.
Killing Songs :
I am Become Death, Lamplighter, The Dog and Pony Show, Uninventing the Wheel
Drew quoted 74 / 100
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