With the number of bands that are called or have been called Armageddon over the years then yours had better be something damn fine that sticks out from the pack. This Armageddon hails from Sweden and is the now rejuvenated project by one Christopher Amott but is comprised of other members from the States so I guess the project is multinational death metal than the Swedish concoction of the genre. Having restarted the band after leaving Arch Enemy they already have three albums out, though the gap between the last one and this is vast with 13 years being a very long time in death metal but one thing that resists the annals of time is musicianship.
Opening the release with the title track the intent is clear, to slice into accepted death metal norms and create a new sonic tapestry for your delights. I’m not saying the band is producing a new genre but Armageddon has redefined so called melodic death metal by deploying a rear guard assault of crushing drum work, blistering bass line and of course guitar work that is easily a match for any competitor you care to name including Mr. Amott’s former band. With no intro the album sets off at a gallop with the title track but takes colossal course changes with the guitar work which will surround your ears in wondrous tones. Fading in nicely after the opener is “Locked In” and here the genre borders are smudged a little as the tune adopts a power groove stance yet infested with harmonious guitar hooks. As I listened to this I expected clean vocals to be peppered into the song which only appear on the third tune, “Rendition”, and it is a shame they aren’t used more often on the release as they work perfectly as opposed to some of the cringe worthy attempts I hear these days. The aggression of this release is underlined by the drum work which is cracking throughout, with double kick rampages and rhythms being accompanied by excellent fills and cymbal work. As the clean vocals enter the foray it is tempting to dismiss them as pandering to modern metal elitism but they don’t as they dual with the very harsh growls.
There are many outfits purveying this style of death metal such as Scar Symmetry for the softer end, Arch Enemy obviously, Mors Principium Est for the battering side and occasionally Kalmah for the virtuosic guitar work which really stand this album far above the competitors sure to be around during 2015. Keyboards initiate “Fugitive Dust” and some old school 80s guitar inflections that are sublime as the tune intensifies with a brilliant bass pulse and for some reason the tune had me recalling mid era In Flames as in the 90s stuff. As I stated earlier this band takes nothing as accepted and goes alone with its song writing as “Thanatron” begins with acoustic guitar before metamorphosing into a thundering yet mid paced beast of a song decorated as always by the excellent guitar work. The Spanish style guitar work on “Background Radiation” serves to ease you into “The Watcher” with its cascading groove and instantly ingraining hook. The clean vocals are awesome if a little short-lived as the growls dominate mostly but the leads are truly incredible arriving in waves of exhilarating sonic craftsmanship.
With absolutely no fillers on this release you are going to be hard pressed to find a more accomplished guitar focused melodic death metal album this year and if this had been out last year it would have slaughtered Arch Enemy’s own release to a pulp, in my humble but honest opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/armageddonbandofficial
(9/10 Martin Harris)
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