Arsis "A Celebration of Guilt" CD
[Willowtip]
I fucking love this god damn band. A few years ago they sent me a demo that caught my attention but still didn't win me over, but having seen them live I was hooked, and at long last I have this CD in my hands to solidify the fact that indeed Arsis has become one of the finest metal bands active today. On the record they're a duo (one dude on drums, the other taking on guitar, bass, and vocals), but don't let that fact scare you off at all, because this is precisely played, expertly crafted, and powerful fucking metal that blends classic late-80's thrash, the most tactful and aggressive elements of melodic Swedish death metal, scarce hints of black metal and brutal death metal, and blazing virtuoso lead playing in a slick format that's overflowing with energy and various levels of complexity. To say this work is technical is an understatement, but sometimes the true proficiency is masked by the fact that the songs are memorable and tangible. But make no mistake, there are almost always at least two different guitar parts layered together to form a whole, the basslines keep up with the all over the neck variance of the guitar rhythms, the drumming is amply spicy, and guitar solos like these are scarcely heard from such extreme acts anymore. Hell, even the vocals, which are semi typical high snarls, are delivered with a certain sense of feeling and, to me, can be catchy - which is almost never the case with that vocal style. I love how the songs (which all average proper lengths of around three to five minutes) effortlessly shift from riff to riff with perfect transitions and uninterrupted flow. "Return" blends high speed pull-off riffs reminiscent of early Darkane at their finest with some of the most distinct power chord rhythms on the disc, followed by "Worship Depraved", whose opening runs would've easily been at home on Forbidden's "Twisted Into Form" (one of the greatest thrash albums of all time, mind you). "Elegant and Perverse" and "The Sadistic Motives Behind Bereavement Letters" provide a back to back double whammy of the two catchiest tracks on the disc, perhaps slightly more straightforward, but nothing that I would call stripped down or simple. The recording is nice, and very well executed at the hands of just two band members. It could use some tweaking of course, but I'm not really bothered by anything. The drums are a little rigid but do possess density and don't sound unnatural to me, the vocals can inch out a hint too far in front of the guitars at times, and I'd like to hear more definition to the bass... but this is a fucking guitar record, and I really like the guitar tone for the most part. It's really warm and crunchy with a good level of clarity and a touch of a bite. Good stuff. The layout looks pretty damn good as well, down to the slick looking band logo, killer illustrations, etc. The cover is superior to most of the inner illustrations, and it all has a bit of a Pushead-ish edge, but that's not a bad thing, and it really stands out. Lyrically everything is tackled in a pretty open manner without getting too direct: "Today, my faith was lost again, A grave was dug to mourn its loss, And in the grave I keep my friends, Loneliness, impure urges, And the pain that only I can bring..." I damn sure hope this band gets their name out there and starts getting the well deserved recognition they ought to be receiving right now. Absolutely and completely recommended. One of the best releases to date this year, in fact. (9/10)
Running time - 44:20, Tracks: 11
[Notable tracks: The Face of My Innocence, Return, Elegant and Perverse, The Sadistic Motives Behind Bereavement Letters]
Willowtip - http://www.willowtip.com

This review has been displayed 5853 times.