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Arsis is an American technical/melodic death metal band. They have released their critically acclaimed debut album, “A Celebration of Guilt” in 2004. Unfortunately, Arsis’ third full-length, “We Are the Nightmare”, was surely a nightmare to their fans.
Being a non-fan for now, I still don’t know what lies in this 10-tracker album.The very first thing I’ve noticed here is the great guitar prowess the band is showing. Many things are technical here, from the intro, to the riffs and to the solos. The vocals here aren’t grunts that you usually hear on death metal records.
Instead, we have raspy vocals here, which, in my opinion, are awesome, and rather well performed. In addition, the drums here pummel with fury making the songs’ beats usually fast.
Also, we have here a tight production without straining themselves, therefore making the songs have a good vibe in it. Lastly, the album is more dissonant, so if you’re much used to your usual melodic death metal stuff, better go brace yourself, but don’t worry, you’ll get used to it soon.Although sounding different from the other songs (and having a fucking title like this), “Forced to Rock” suits to be the album’s intro with its rocker vibe. On the other hand, “A March for the Sick” has its fast tempo and a more dissonant sound, which introduces you to the band’s real sound. Compared to the songs prior this one, “Beyond Forlorn” is less dissonant, with an amazing melodies and even a breathtaking solo. “The Ten of Swords” is also not that dissonant with a fast beat in it. Meanwhile, “Closer to Cold” has a little melancholic touch with the pummeling drums to make this song even better.
Arsis We Are The Nightmare
“Half Past Corpse O’clock” is also dissonant from its intro to its verses part, with a somewhat melodic chorus. Lastly, we have “Sable Rising”, with pummeling drums and dissonant tremolo pickings.What could I say anyway? Well, this album is decent enough, although I admit it takes a while to get used to due to its dissonance. I think this album is a good buy (though not necessarily a “must buy”), especially for the Arsis fans or technical metal fans.Originally made for http://mystifymyserie.blogspot.com. Christshow of hands, who actually thought an album called Starve For The Devil would actually end up being pretty good?Because in the months leading up to this album’s release, we sure didn’t. And by “we”, I mean pretty much everyone I came into contact with about it, Arsis fans or not.
I remember busting a barrel laughing when I heard the song titles like album opener Forced To Rock (which not only sounds like something that Biff Byford would have rejected, but also seems to express a desire to not play the music that you’re about to hear), and the now-infamous Half Past Corpse O’Clock (Jesus).Long story short, when advance reviews started rolling in, calling the album a shockingly strong entry, I checked it out for myself and was earnestly shocked.The band as a whole plays tightly, but it doesn't feel robotic like an unfortunate amount of tech-death nowadays. Rather, you can feel that the band is enjoying itself. Despite my usually wide-sweeping disdain for the tech death scene I like Arsis, although I should really use the past tense liked. 'We are the Nightmare' was one of the most disappointing albums of 2008; an album in which a highly creative band unceremoniously stripped away the traits that made them unique to produce an album that was completely indistinguishable from the torrent of drivel being released around them. 'Starve for the Devil' is thankfully nothing like 'We are the Nightmare' and so on that principle alone it deserves a pass, but unfortunately it's not a 'A Celebration of Guilt' either; it's basically another 'United in Regret' regretfully.First things first though; 'Forced to Rock'? What the fuck were you thinking?
I was almost certain this had to be a cover because otherwise I'd have to consider the idea that either the band thought that being ironic is hilarious or that they needed a short, simple track to punch out as a single. Regardless of intentions, it's a pretty bad song with some very basic riffs and a standard Arsis solo. I mean christ, songs like 'Dust and Guilt' and 'Lust Before the Maggots Conquest' are catchy in their own sense but they do so without coming off as being cringe-inducingly lame. I really hate this song so much, let's just move on.The rest of 'Starve for the Devil' is far better than what impressions the first track will inevitably leave you with (i.e. This is shithouse) and more than make up for that severe lapse in judgment and good taste.
Arsis have dialed back the unnecessary guitar wankery to the point that there's practically none, that or when it does appear it's constructive to the songs pacing and structure rather than jerking the entire momentum wildly about the place and sending everything they'd been working towards right off a cliff. The riffs are a bit more thrashy and linear this time around, although the last four tracks ('Sick Perfection', 'Half Past Corpse O'Clock', 'Escape Artist' and 'Sable Rising') have riffs that are far more technical and thus sound like they could have been the B-sides to 'A Celebration of Guilt'. The solos strike a weird balance between length and technicality but to such a point that I can't actually name any that really stand out; they're highly competent as we've come to expect but they're not exactly ground shattering.Admittedly had Arsis not returned to their former sound I would probably have given 'Starve for the Devil' a chance based purely upon the fact they took Darren Cesca, a man who hated his kit so much he was trying to destroy it by performing fills until it was naught but dust, off drumming duties and brought back in Michael van Dyne.
The change is colossal; the drumming is highly technical as it had been in the past but doesn't try to overshadow every other aspect of the music, instead using a variety of patterns to support and enhance it.Despite all these improvements, 'Starve for the Devil' is still merely a decent album; a massive improvement over the cheap and soulless 'We are the Nightmare' but still hardly measuring up to their former glory. Honestly they could have just released a four track EP because the first half of the album (barring 'Forced to Rock') is only passable at best due to some rather simplistic riffs (by Arsis standards) and stock-standard song structures. Still, if you were ever an Arsis fan then you should at least give 'Starve for the Devil' a listen because it's not completely horrible and gives myself hope that they're on their way to a full recovery. Starve For The Devil by Arsis is easily one of the year's most unexpected surprises as far as new, original music goes. Making this the band's fourth full length release since their 2004 debut album, A Celebration Of Guilt, the band's past two efforts have not quite lived up to their fans expectations, leaving many to sit and wonder what would be in store for them with Starve For The Devil, or even if they were going to put up the money to buy this the day it drops, if at all.
But, with this release, e find Arsis bringing a very Thrash sound to the mix, and for the first time in nearly six years, have put together an album that is absolutely punishing from start to finish.While keeping the band's Technical Melodic Death styles, the band incorporates a heavy Thrash influence into their music in the vein of something you would hear off an album from the early 80's. There's plenty of amazing tracks on here that are intense, while still retaining that signature melodic sound the band has become known for, but pushed very hard this time.
For example, the first track, 'Forced to Rock', is an all out metal assault that would remind listeners of later-era Carcass, and is easily one of the heavier tracks on the release. Other then that, many of the tracks on here have their own little kick ass element to them. 'Closer to Cold' has a very haunting little guitar hook to it that is much higher in pitch then the rest of the guitars that just works wonders for it during the chorus and closing of the track, and 'Escape Artist' is just a flat out in-your-face Thrash fused track that will make you want to start moshing wherever you may be.This isn't to say that there are still some tracks on here that, over time, will wear thin on the listener. 'Beyond Forlorn' is a decent song, but it's just an amped up version of a very generic song that simply doesn't stack up against tracks like 'Forced to Rock' and 'Escape Artist'. The change up used near the end of the song is also rather boring and doesn't really do much for the song except drag it down a bit more and make it the only track on here that really is not all that appealing.
Then you also have 'Half Past Corpse o'Clock' which is a strong song in every aspect but the chorus, which slows the song down considerably for only one line of vocals, then picks up speed and and repeat, with various other speed change ups throughout the song, as well as what sounds like a breakdown going on during the guitar solo.Easily one of the group's best efforts, Starve For The Devil is an amazing album that fans will swarm in to get. While this release is not perfect, it still holds plenty of fast paced and simply heavy tracks to keep any Metal fan happy for a good while. Hopefully, Starve For The Devil is not just some sort of fluke release, as this intense release shows a lot of promise for the band if they continue along the path of this musical change. Hopefully, if they continue to create such hard hitting tracks as those on this release, we'll see more and better things from this band in the near future.Originally posted on Apoch's Metal Reviewwww.apochs.net. I felt little or no enthusiasm at all when I found out this band's new album is about to be released.
I have been let down with every release after their debut, which remains to this day one of my favorite modern US melo/tech death albums. Every effort that has followed was a step down, and every change they took sounded worse than the previous, to my ears at least.
There have been minor changes in sound, style and overall attitude, one album after the other, but nothing too radical. Arsis were still the fast, technical, melodic death metal band from Virginia, that started out with that amazing debut but then starting sinking.Until now, Starve For The Devil came out 2 days ago. I have been listening to it since yesterday, and after about a couple dozen listens I can safely say that this record will get at least as many spins as their first one did since the first time I listened to it.
To say that it's their best album would be a premature overstatement, but I would not be surprised if it reaches that level eventually.I guess I should elaborate a little more on Arsis' sound, before explaining what new this album brings to the table compared to their previous records. Arsis play a cool breed of very modern sounding, thrashy/technical, melodic metal with harsh death metal vocals. Not growls but more like shouts with a higher pitch. James Malone is Arsis, and I don't think I could put that any simpler than I did.
The man started this band a decade ago, and has since seen it through a LOT, to say the least. Without going into the line-up changes in details, he is what appears to be the only original member in the band. James handles lead/rhythm guitars, lead vocals, and I'm pretty confident in his ability to write all of this band's music, I can tell you that he wrote most of it.On this album his approach differs from anything they've put out before.
It's definitely a lot more 'thrash', a lot more 'groovy' and heavy, while keeping the melody and the same vocals. Arsis sound all of a sudden like they decided to be a cheesy heavy metal band, playing simpler arrangements and way catchier riffs.
Gone is all the wankery in the guitar playing/writing, everything is much punchier, and with a lot more substance. There is a lot of variety to the songs throughout the album, and every song has a catchy verse riff, or chorus riff, or something that just makes it completely stand out, while being just as good as the rest of them.Many of you might wonder, why such a high score? It sounds like Arsis went from a more complex sound, than an easier one to listen to. YES, the answer would be, indeed they did. But the step could either be up or down. In this case, Arsis have suddenly acquired some BALLS in my book, they have a lot in common now with a lot of legendary bands, while keeping their own signature. As long as James Malone's guitars and vocal tones are there, this band will always stand out.
Arsis Starve For The Devil Zip Number
You know Arsis when you hear it, but as it got annoying before, this time around it got a whole lot heavier and catchier.I heard people say certain things about this man, anorexia is more frequent in forums. And the result can be seen, when I saw their new promo picture I couldn't believe I was looking at the same front man. When I saw them open for Exodus a few years ago he certainly looked different, Arsis were literally 'heavier', if you see my meaning. James says that the album's title is like poking fun at what he had to overcome. Whatever floats your boat, if that means you can put out music this good then everyone should starve for him!Go out and buy this, it's the most entertainment you can get out of a thrashy melodic album, without it being a total ripoff.