Album Review: Architects - 'Lost Forever//Lost Together'

7 March 2014 | 12:46 am | Alex Sievers
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The best Architects album to date!

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Fuck 'Daybreaker'. Fuck 'The Here And Now'. Fuck 'Nighmares'. Fuck 'Ruin', and fuck 'Hollow Crown' too! Even though each of Architects' previous five albums are all great releases, they pale in comparison to what the band has achieved on album number six, which goes beyond anything they have done before. But before this review tells you why you need this album in your life, let's try not to get too ahead of ourselves.

Since the start of this year, the four boys from across the pond have been teasing and exciting us all with their new singles 'Naysayer', 'Broken Cross', and just recently with 'C.A.N.C.E.R'. Each of these songs set YouTube, Facebook and most of the band's social media platforms alight with eager anticipation and praise from fans and peers alike. There was always skepticism though, as Architects have a great ear for choosing the right songs to release first, but once the album is out, some songs are skimmed over as mere filler. However, that's not the case with 'Lost Forever//Lost Together'.

When you listen to each track individually you will see something really special, something much more refined in the songwriting. This is one of those things that simply comes with time and experience, but it's such a welcomed feeling to have every track as a favourite now. There isn't any kind of filler on here. Every track feels like a beast in its own right, and the non-single tracks aren't tossed aside by the ones that are (which is exactly what happened with 09's 'Hollow Crown'). As there aren't any acoustic or full-on melodic tracks on 'Lost Forever//Lost Together' (a la 'Heartburn', 'Open Letter To Myself', 'Behind The Throne' or 'Hollow Crown'), everything feels more tight, more cohesive and just so much more refined. Not only that, but as a whole, this is the most consistent album in the band's discography. And now, to the album!

Kicking this glorious forty minute plus listen is the vicious 'Gravedigger', which strikes hard and fast. The eerie, clean guitar chords at the start erupt into the galloping first verse, which is probably one of the fast intros in the band's career, right before pure chaos explodes in the breakdowns and chorus . The group's brand of technical, but not quite minding bending, aggressive metalcore approach to 'Gravedigger' follows all the way through the rest of the album, yet each track feels slightly different from the last. From the way the atmospheric mid-album instrumental 'Red Hypergiant' transitions into the powerfully heavy and almost djent sounding 'C.A.N.C.E.R'; to how the aggressivedefiant and motivated anthem that is 'Naysayer' moves into the absolutely crushing and monolithic soundscapes of 'Broken Cross' (Which is basically 'Alpha Omega Pt.2' but I'll take it).

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Seriously, this album is just pure musical gold.

'The Devil Is Near' and 'The Youth Is Wasted On The Young' (which is where the full-length's title comes from and also features guest vocals Murray Macleod from Scotland's The Xcerts) are, much like the opening track, some seriously fast and powerful tunes. They rip through your ears in a non-conscious manner and the latter will have you singing along in no time flat. These two will be sure to open up mosh pits in milliseconds. 'Colony Collapse' and the album closer, 'The Distant Blue' - which is probably the heaviest song on the album - both have such an anthemic sound, filled with odious lyrics towards our species and how we treat the planet we inhabit. Although that theme does seem a little obvious considering the album's title, but it is FAR better than having those cliché ex-friend/ex-lover, life on the road, 'look at us now' kind of lyrics that plague most other bands in their genre.

New and old fans alike will fall in love with this record. It embodies the best parts of Architects and their sound. Sam Carter's powerful screams, melodic singing and universally themed lyrics (all of which seems to get better with every new album); Tom Searle's riffs, chugs, leads are all super tight and heavy; Dan Searle's top notch drumming is just excellent, and it puts most other hardcore/metal drummers to shame; and Alex Dean's, rumbling bass parts that underpin each groove and breakdown so damn well. It's all there!

In fact, it's not just the music that is exceptional, but the mixing of this album is also one of a very high quality. Producers and engineers Fredrik Nordström and Heinrik Udd (Bring Me The HorizonBuried In VeronaSoilworkI Killed The Prom Queen, At The Gates). have done a fantastic job of helping the band capture their best work in the best sounding fashion. It's easy to see why many bands go with those two guys for taking the reins of production/engineering duties.

Even though It's early days for 2014, 'Lost Forever//Lost Together' has all of the definite potential to be one of the best albums of the year. This is going to be the year of Architects. Just you watch. 

Architects have finally released their magnum opus with album number six. It's a career standout if there ever was one. 'Lost Forever//Lost Together' is a master class not just for the band's genre, but for heavy music in general. It may not revolutionise the global musical landscape in the most radical way, but it's an album that has been so perfectly written, mixed and executed that many groups will be kicking themselves for not having this monster under their belts. At the end of this year, many will look back and say without a doubt that this was one of the best records of 2014.

Gravedigger

Naysayer

Broken Cross

The Devil Is Near

Dead Man Talking

Red Hypergiant

C.A.N.C.E.R.

Colony Collapse

Castles In The Air

The Youth is Wasted on the Young

The Distant Blue