Becoming The Archetype’s 2005 debut was a breathtaking
mix of early 90’s death metal and technical
thrash mixed with a dash of melody and today’s
screamo/metalcore. Heck, they even had the balls to
name it after a classic Mortification song, Terminate
Damnation.
But something happened over the past couple of years.
Yes, there were member changes. Yes, Alex from Aletheian
has brought some great guitar work. And yes, the death
metal and melody is still present. But rather than
keeping metalcore, screamo, and technical thrash as
a part of the recipe, BTA’s sophomore effort
is more straight melodic and progressive death metal.
If that’s your bag, fine. But the band’s
no longer as unique as it once was.
The Physics Of Fire is a concept album based around
four non-sequential tracks. Based almost exclusively
on scripture, the message is that God is a consuming
fire. It’s as straightforward an allegory you’re
likely to hear, as the band crams this idea throughout
the disc, the word “fire” appearing in
all but “Construct and Collapse” and the
instrumental “Nocturne.”
Becoming The Archetype definitely stands apart from
their Solid State Records labelmates, exposing the
metal and hardcore kids to melodic death metal. And
for this I commend them. But I miss the aforementioned
qualities that made their debut so distinct.
Key Tracks: “Epoch Of War (The Physics Of Fire
Pt 3)” and “Immolation”
Reviewed by Chad Olson
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