Architects - For Those That Wish to Exist (February 26, 2021) Album • Page 5

I don’t find a ton of repetition

 

I did not like the first two singles but in the context of the album.... this is pretty sick to me. Very much enjoying this.

 

Definitely felt like a considerable amount of this could’ve been left on the cutting room floor

 

I think the sameness/repetition folks have a fair point. By my count, 11/15 tracks occur in just two keys. That leads to a ton of the songs sounding identical or singing them over each other. You could loop “Giving Blood,” “Animals” and “Meteor” over each other without breaking a sweat, for example (just hum the first chord and change between any of the songs).

Pair that with a lot of similarly structured stuff (intro/verse/chorus/verse/chorus/quiet breakdown/loud breakdown/chorus to end) and it feels similar.

 

The crazy part about the whole thing is they brought in Josh Middleton and he can shred. I’m wondering if he had any part at all on this album.

 

I’m personally a fan of this. I can understand the complaints about repetition, but it’s a sound I enjoy a lot so I guess I don’t mind that much.

As far as Josh, yes obviously he’s capable of much more technical playing... but just because he can play a certain way doesn’t mean every song they make is going to call for that. There’s plenty of good music where extremely talented musicians restrain themselves in service of the song.

 

I guess to briefly expand, this isn’t to say there’s nothing good here. It just feels like there are way more Gretas than there are Zeppelins if ya catch my drift. There’s some cream but they also brought the entire crop imo

The production is outstanding though, these songs sound sooo huge. I could do with a little less compression but I understand that just comes with the territory

 

Alright. Let's find the cutting room floor.

Here's my re-edit:

1. "Do You Dream of Armageddon?" 1:38
2. "Giving Blood" 3:32
3. "Goliath" (featuring Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro) 4:17
4. "Animals" 4:04
5. "Dead Butterflies" 4:02
6. "Flight Without Feathers" 3:48
7. "Discourse Is Dead" 3:46
8. "An Ordinary Extinction" 4:07
9. Libertine / Little Wonder - keep Mike Kerr section, and make the "sing you a different song" part of LW the bridge
10. "Meteor" 4:01
11. "Black Lungs" 3:51
12. "Impermanence"

B-sides: Demi-God, Dying is Absolutely Safe

 

He did do some writing on it. I'm sure he was fine with the stylistic change since Sylosis continues to shred, makes sense he'd be cool being in a rock band.

After sitting on this album for about a month now, I think I've come to the conclusion that the production and track listing kill it for me. Totally cool with them changing their sound and Architects records have always been pretty same-y since they do what they do and they do it well, so that doesn't bother me, but I just feel like they didn't "go for it" as much as they were capable of.

I think its arena rock songs with metalcore production. Would have loved for more polish on the songs to make them feel huge. Still love these guys though and wish them a ton of success. Would love to see them pop off even more.

 

I've listened a few times now, I def agree it is too long, too many similar songs. I think if it were me it would have looked something like this (could change though based on like 4 listens):

1. Do You Dream of Armageddon?
2. Black Lungs
3. Giving Blood
4. Dead Butterflies
5. Impermanence
6. Flight Without Feathers
7. Little Wonder
8. Animals
9. Goliath
10. Meteor
11. Dying is Absolutely Safe

Cut: Discourse is Dead, An Ordinary Extinction, Libertine, Demi God

Echoing kinda what others have said, I don't think any of those songs I'd cut are bad, I just think it would streamline the album, make it feel less samey.

 

take it back

(if anyone wants an even poppier style of this kind of music try the new Normandie)

 

This is great, but definitely could cut a few songs off this

 

Biggest criticism is probably that neither this or the new Julien Baker album are spring/summer albums haha, so going outside for the first sunny day in what feels like years listening to this feels a bit strange, Holy Hell really nailed the winter release imo

 

I will say that Goliath is a great song and getting Simon Neil to scream blew me away.

 

Little Wonder and Giving Blood are so sick

 

Just read the whole thread and the tone change the moment the album’s released is stark lol

I agree with the fellow underwhelmed listeners though. I think it’s pretty good and has some nice treats but by and large it has the exact same vibe every metalcore-gone-accessible band has taken on. Dull atmospheric-y verses with big angry chorus, occasional throwback scream. Repeat.

 

This is absolutely brilliant. Maybe a little long but there are so many fucking great songs on here.

 

A lot of these songs sound very massive

 

Plus getting to hear Simon Neil go off on Goliath is an incredible moment I've been waiting MONTHS for. So worth the wait.

 

There are so goddamn many vocal floats/ethereal effects sometimes, it sounds like a parody. Sam has such a great voice. I wish they had found a way to peel off some of those layers.

There are some songs on here though that I absolutely would give my left nut to hear live right now. “Giving blood“ is going to sound so fucking titanic, I feel like I will smell colors the first time I hear it in person.

 

A full day-plus later, I think the album is even better than I first thought, and I started out liking it a lot.

I skip Impermanence, Demi God and Dying Is. Listen straight through otherwise. And the flow feels better, the energy never lags and you remove some of the excess ethereal/floating tracks that make it feel too much the same.

Of all those tracks, I like Dying Is, but after an album of whispered vocals and string arrangements galore, that one just feels too repetitive.

 

I'm really liking this. Definitely reminds me of BMTH at times, which is not a bad thing. The chorus of Little Wonder is the first that comes to mind.

 

Love the record but this band just sounds like an ode to BMTH imho. Not necessarily a negative for me just an interesting progression as BMTH has softened these guys have in al title but maintain an edge. 7/10 on the heavy.

 

this is better than any of the recent BMTH records

 

Completely agree.