The world today is a crazy, chaotic place and no one knows what’s going to happen. Its festering uncertainty has people ensnared in a debilitating web of fear, anger, and confusion.
This is the fuel for All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, the newly released album by metalcore band Architects. Considered their darkest and heaviest work to date, it captures their frustration towards the people controlling society and spits it back into their faces. However, it also reveals a subtle hope lying underneath the disorder that we should all strive for.
Architects was formed in Brighton, England in 2004 by twin brothers Dan and Tom Searle. In 2006, they released their debut album Nightmares. That same year, vocalist Matt Johnson and bassist Tim Lucas left the band and were subsequently replaced by Sam Carter and Alex Dean.
Members came and went again, as did albums — some heralded, others panned.
Architects Show Off Aggressive Sound
Guitarist Adam Christianson joined in 2014 and, two years after their last album, Architects is ready to showcase their aggressive, technical style once again All Our Gods, their seventh studio.
The opening track “Nihilist” hits hard and fast like a bullet. One second into the song and a sonic barrage is unleashed. Rapid, thunderous drumbeats set up its expeditious tempo. Pulsing bass lines and jagged, driving guitar riffs fill this song with vibrant energy by crafting layers of choppy, heavy noise.
Then, there’s Sam Carter’s screamed, growled vocals which fume with emotional intensity. Lyrics like “This is the great esoteric depression” and “We are all the shades of misery” sharply exemplify the flummoxed, disillusioned state people are experiencing nowadays.
Another notable track is “Downfall.” It begins with ringing guitar distortion, then pounding drumbeats and throbbing bass riffs emerge and form a strong, steady rhythm. At the same time, Tom Searle and Adam Christianson deliver buzzing, screeching guitar riffs that nicely complement Carter’s forceful vocals.
Here, the lyrics carry political and social angst. Lines such as “They’ll only sell us out when our backs are turned” and “Still we’re standing by whilst they bleed us dry” suggest that we need to revolt against the elites who have forsaken us for profit. Only then can we “witness their downfall.”
“Gone with The Wind” goes back and forth between two tones. It starts first with thundering drumbeats, vociferous vocals, slashing guitar riffs, and resonant bass riffs. Combined, they create a harsh, fierce tone. Shortly afterwards, the tone becomes more harmonious and pacified. The riffs here are echoing, euphonious, and melodic. As the song continues, its alternates between these two tones until it concludes with a short fade-out.
“A Match Made in Heaven” opens with a series of swift guitar arpeggios and a burst of coarse, screaming vocals. It’s soon joined by loud, resounding drums and cymbal crashes from Dan Searle, fluid, distorted guitar riffs, and deep, groove-laden bass riffs that remain prevalent throughout the song. Another prominent feature of this song is its rhythmic breakdowns that are perfect for moshing.
There’s “From The Madness.” It begins with slow, placid guitar lines and keyboard synths. An energetic tempo emerges following a brief crescendo. Booming drumbeats and rousing bass lines then enter the song as the guitar riffs become heavy yet lively. Past the two-minute mark, it shifts to a mollified mood yet still retains its original intention.
That intention illuminates itself through lyrics such as “We’re waiting for the world to save itself / Because nothing is built to last” and “We’re writing our epitaph / so, reset and start again.” They show that, while our current societies are certain to fail at some point, the people will remain and construct new ones. The song quickly returns to its original mood and intensity and continues until its reverb-filled end.
With their puissant seventh album All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, Architects stare into the abysmal void of the modern world and display a dark yet hopeful series of revelations.
