Liste des groupes Death Mélodique Archaios The Distant

When I first received Archaios' new full length album, The Distant, I was pretty excited, being a sucker for bands that come out from regions that are not really well-known for metal, and seeing that this was the first band out of Dominican Republic that I encounter. 5 years after their debut album Out of the Shadows, Archaios finally releases their sophomore effort, and being touted as one of the most promising bands out of the country, I did not know what to expect.

To put it simply though, Archaios' The Distant is a nice blend of music from bands such as later era Soilwork and In Flames, only that they have kept the element of melodic death metal while those aforementioned bands have chosen to give up their roots almost completely, making The Distant sound like an updated and more modern version of these bands. From the album opener Nightshade, it is endless infectious energy through the catchy riffs that are unleashed by guitarists Eric and JC. The guitar solos are well-executed and thought out, with an almost neo-classical feel to them, sounding as if Gus G has chosen to return to playing lead guitars in melodic death metal again with the big hooks on the solos, and the at times soaring moments. The axe-wielding duo also constantly engage in guitar solo duals, with each of them displaying their individual styles, ranging from straightforward face-ripping shredding to slower to solos that simply focus on the emotional and melodic elements, power metal style. There are even times when the band could easily pass off as a Japanese neo-classical power metal band, such as the lead guitars on Legion, sounding like what could come off a Galneryus album. The fat guitar tone also certainly helps in making these melodic solos shine, bringing to mind guitar virtuosos such as Kiko Loureiro and the likes.

The range of influences on Archaios' songwriting are also brought in and prominent throughout the album. For example, there are even thrash metal moments such as the riffing towards the middle of Nightshade where one is instantly reminded of the riffs off Metallica's Battery. The band also constantly shifts and alternates between different styles on a single track, such as on title track The Distant, where there are lots of transitions between faster and slower, more emotional moments. Synths are also consistently utilised throughout the album, mostly taking the role of a background instrument creating a somewhat beautiful atmosphere, but at times taking the lead role such as on the intro of Gathering the Silence. There is even a Maiden reference on the ending of Legion, with a riff taken straight out off Revelations, and slight melodic black metal elements on the trem-picked riffs on Approaching of My Demise, along with a bleak outlook.

One other prominent thing about the album is the sharp and precise drumming of Johandy, never missing a single beat and easily transiting between different drumming styles, from technical and complex moments to straight-on blast-beats in a blink of an eye. His stamina is also evident on most tracks with the constant fast pace that the band tends to go at, and coupled with bassist David, they form a solid rhythmic backbone for the band. Bassist David further displays his presence and ability on tracks like Dreaming with the Dead, effortlessly following the lines that the guitarists play, yet maintaining the mood and atmosphere of the song at the same time. The polished and clear production quality of the album also helps in making The Distant an enjoyable journey.

Archaios' The Distant, on top of managing to get me to sit through 50 minutes of a music genre that I am just a casual fan of (with the inclusion of many influences that also happen to be bands that I like), has also managed to retain my interest through the many excellent guitar solos that are contained in the album. This album is therefore, highly recommended for fans of instrumental rock and metal music as well.