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Publisher andy<\/strong> above 2026\/04\/17<\/time>2026\/04\/17<\/time><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nArtwork: Cindy Rihal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nStyle: Technical death metal (harsh vocals)
\n It’s hard to carve a niche in a crowded scene, though. archspire<\/strong> Won gold medal at the 2017 Instant Classic; relentless mutation<\/em>a record that extends the possibilities of neoclassical technological death to over 350 bpm. And in keeping with the wise philosophy that “the more, the better.” Yngwie Malmsteen<\/strong>the Canadian quintet progressed faster on the follow-up, Bleed the Future<\/em>Since then, they’ve hosted an online spectacle of drum auditions, dropped Season of Mist from their label, and continued to fool around on social media. They also kickstarted a new record, too soon to die<\/em>. Humor has always been an important part of the band’s identity, both online and live, but with the album’s title standing out so much, I became increasingly concerned that they were becoming a kind of self-parody. dragon force<\/strong>–They embraced the meme so much that it permeated their music.<\/p>\nwhat we are talking about archspire<\/strong>But don’t worry, this band’s floor is still in the 99th percentile. And in some ways, this record is even more serious than this. Bleed the Future<\/em> That’s because it omits things like the (admittedly hilarious) iconic voicemail on “AUM,” which tells the band they need to “bring the fucking danger back into their music.” between archspire<\/strong>‘s myriad strength is its impeccable songwriting. too soon to die<\/em>1<\/sup> Watch a masterclass on how to write variations on a theme. \u201cLimb of Leviticus\u201d is the longest track on the record. relentless mutation<\/em>The most neoclassical style of begins with a minute-long series of highly technical melodic riffs, at varying speeds and with different accent pacings. But after five and a half minutes, the various melodic lines all make sense, continually reintroduced during the breakdown and recontextualized in the slow-motion, string-only contrapuntal middle section and outro. Other tracks such as “The Vessel” and opener “Liminal Cypher” begin with these contrapuntal string sections, providing a brief introduction to the melodic contours to come before being presented at the speed of light. Willingness to play the same riff in different parts of the same song too soon to die <\/em>It helps to untie the brain in the string part. There’s no fatigue of homogeneity here, with judicious repetition and reuse of guitar lines keeping the songs devilishly centered on themselves, keeping each song consistent and self-contained.<\/p>\nIt is a well-lubricated speed machine. archspire<\/strong> This is also a picturesque version of conservation of momentum2<\/sup>. In frictionless, high-speed moments, the strings weave a twisted contrapuntal tapestry with rhythmic precision as Dean Lamb and Tobi Morelli’s sinister dual guitars skip, sweep, tap, and harmonize at speeds introduced to make sense of relativistic physics. archspire<\/strong> But when played together as a single, laser-focused entity, sudden, fluid transitions can send the entire band crashing into a wall and completely devolve into neck-snapping chugs. Heaviness gets messed up. I enjoy the intricate string acrobatics influenced by Bach and Mozart, but I can’t help but love the frequent slams and breakdowns. Beef cut of cow<\/strong>‘s “Liminal Cypher,” “Pacific Grim,” or even the stop-and-start riff of “Carrion Ladder” that underpins this track’s lead guitar shenanigans. Oliver Ray Aleron also adjusts his vocal approach depending on the section, barking percussive bars, Tech N9ne<\/strong>– Delivers vocal agility to keep pace with the guitars, or inhuman-sounding sucked-in harshness, or classic deathcore. Bree<\/em>.<\/p>\nnevertheless archspire<\/strong> Although they have an established formula and a need for speed, they are still experimenting with some new techniques. The gang vocals on \u201cAnomalous Descent\u201d suit the style well, are not overused, and are only used on one track. The grindcore blast on “Red Goliath” is of the same quality as the veteran favorites. Stay up late<\/strong> and Beef cut of cow<\/strong>\u2014 Tracks somehow transition seamlessly hell<\/strong>A melodic riff from there. However, in “The Vessel”, archspire<\/strong> too close to melodic deathcore bands like shadow of intention<\/strong> and Lorna Shore<\/strong>and the bombastic, saccharine melody doesn’t fit. archspire<\/strong>Even more noodle-like spirit. <\/p>\nsame problem that prevented Bleed the Future <\/em>from dethroning relentless mutation<\/em> as my favorite archspire<\/strong> record the epidemic too soon to die<\/em> Unfortunately, the drums are way too loud on this new album. With the exception of the aforementioned string-only micro-interludes, the tempo is primarily driven by over 250 bpm blast beats, switch-ups, groovy non-blasts, and machine gun tones behind the melodic parts. archspire <\/strong>The songs chosen for this album overshadow bassist Jared Smith’s presence – yes, the best fret bassist in tech is a bit lost in the mix, save for his sinister solos. archspire<\/strong> The entire dimension of their sound is lost; too soon to die<\/em> As such, it’s a shallower record that struggles to trace the bass as much as previous releases, making it less addictive. I think this is a self-fulfilling prophecy because I’ve seen a meme on Instagram about the band making Smith’s bass parts too loud. Of course, the band would like to look at a new drummer. It was a shame to lose Spencer Prewett, a generational tech death drummer, but Spencer Moore3<\/sup> (Ex-hell<\/strong>) is a capable replacement for Moore, matching the relentless and physically taxing pace of an album with a title that could literally be used to torture percussionists. Not only does he stick with endless blasts, but he also injects interesting fills here and there. His fingerprints are here and he’s clearly blending in quickly with his new gig. <\/p>\nIn addition to the lack of bass, the only time archspire<\/strong> take the bit too far is the closer and the title song \u201cToo Fast to Die\u201d. At 440 bpm, even the most skilled guitarists on the planet have a hard time keeping up. They sweep to the tempo, but the harmonized leads sound unusually sloppy. origin<\/strong> or rings of saturn<\/strong> than archspire <\/strong>We all aspire to it. At this pace, any interesting writing quickly blows away, along with some of the blandest riffs and solos of the band’s career. At this truly insane pace, a result like this shouldn’t be unexpected, but when a band continues to succeed in pushing boundaries, you start to expect the impossible. Will they try to speed things up even more with their next album? I think you should try again with 440. Alternatively, you could simply switch it back to 350 bpm, as “Involuntary Doppleg\u00e4nger” is a much better song and leans less toward gimmicks.<\/p>\nMy fears before the release were a little exaggerated, too soon to die <\/em>An extraordinary record by one of the greatest death metal bands of all time. teeth<\/em> The last three are the weakest and suggest some worrying trends. more archspire<\/strong> It’s more than that archspire<\/strong>But I don’t think you can complain about getting their longest album.4<\/sup>. My biggest concern is that the band’s live show pits, already violent, will continue with even faster, even groovier, even heavier moments. too soon to die<\/em>the band can cause literal death. Or maybe the circle moves so fast that it dies.<\/p>\nRecommended tracks: Liminal Cypher, Red Goliath, Limb of LeviticusFinal Verdict: 8.5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n