Conor Fynes 'Dichotomy' - Becoming The Archetype (6/10)

Becoming The Archetype is a band that I have seen glimmers of brilliance in, but they have never managed to really grab my imagination and run with it. 'Terminate Damnation' showed this Atlanta-based metalcore act coming onto the scene full of potential, but their following records have never really lived up to that debut. 'Dichotomy' comes close, and being the second best album from the band, it manages to spark some interest in me even after listening to it. For all of the talent, brilliant ideas and it being produced by one of the most creative minds in metal however, this album only manages to give a decent, rather than an excellent experience.

'Mountain Of Souls' shows the band at their best, going heavy on the riffs, but making sure to include ambiance and detail in the sounds. This may be in no small part due to the production talents of one Devin Townsend, best known for his fronting of Strapping Young Lad, and a keen solo career. He has a line or two of singing in 'Mountain Of Souls', and it really helps to tie Becoming The Archetype in with an artist who I really love, although on their own merits, the band does a great job here as well. It really impresses me that within the course of a single song, the band is able to span from metal to Indian raga music, to a jazzy instrumental break. Unfortunately, this sort of quality pops up only intermittently throughout the rest of this album.

A point of controversy that arises from this band is their Christian leanings and religiously- inclined lyrics. While this does not necessarily mean that the music will be bad (I have a good deal of respect for prog songster Neal Morse, who touches upon his beliefs quite a bit), the Christian overtones in 'Dichotomy' are very poorly disguised, to the point that they are somewhat tasteless. Hearing a grimy breakdown with guttural vocals screaming 'Hallelujah' is laughable at best, and while others in the metal scene may have an even bigger bone to pick with the Christian references, its clear to me that if the band wants to cover such a controversial religious stance in a genre that generally refutes it, they are going to have to be alot more clever about it.

The musicianship here is very good, and I find myself impressed by what Becoming The Archetype has to offer in parts. However, 'Dichotomy' does not give the listener a consistent dose of their greatness, being bogged down by some fairly poignant weaknesses.

Sheavy (Original review from ProgArchives.com)

If you are looking to get into this band do not start here. It is a average offering and not on par with their first two albums at all. There is just way to much boring, mediocre, deathcore/metalcore like moments and not enough more interesting parts that show better songwriting ability. They have talent, but it does not shine through as much in this album as with previous ones. The riffs for the most part, are pretty generic, and the drums are not as exciting as they could be. They are some very good moments however. The Requiem Aeternam trilogy are some of the better songs on here, as is the opener, even if it is nothing new to a lot metal that have a orchestral or symphonic side. Invisible Creature is also a really cool interlude type piece, that does surprise a bit, but does not sound awkward, which is hard to do for some bands that use instruments from other cultures and genres. Good, but not the best. Average.

Conor Fynes 'The Physics Of Fire' - Becoming The Archetype (6/10)

Considered by some to be this Atlanta-based metalcore act's greatest achievement thus far, Becoming The Archetype pulls out their technical and melodic brand of metal once again with their second album, 'The Physics Of Fire'. A sound similar to fellow US east coasters Trivium, the band has since come to be known for their overtly proggy take on metalcore, instrumental proficiency, as well as their Christian lyrical themes. Any precedent or previously held conception of the band aside however, 'The Physics Of Fire' does show a band that can easily stand their ground when it comes to their skills as performing musicians, but the album as a whole is held back by a rather derivative prog metal cheesiness and a somewhat superficial approach to songwriting that feels as if it may favour flash over substance.

'The Epoch Of War' opens 'The Physics Of Fire' on a note that seems all too traditional for the prog metal genre; a symphonic introduction followed by some anthemic metal riffs and then finally succumbing to some thrashy goodness. On their own, each aspect is done very well; melodic guitar licks blistering overtop some synth ambiance get the technical aspects of recording music down to a fine tune. However, especially for the metal fan out there that has heard a build up of intensity along these lines before, it is difficult to take Becoming The Archetype's music entirely seriously, when it's clear that their progressive leanings are leaning on top of conventions set in place even almost a decade before 'The Physics Of Fire' was released. Throughout the album though, there are always moments that seek to really give some sort of promise; passages that hint at the great potential that Becoming The Archetype could have if they shed their voracious attachment to their influences. Among these are some jazz guitar sections, as heard on the second track 'Immolation' or 'The Monolith', which are always a nice break from the rather over-the-top metal sections.

In terms of songwriting, many of the ideas here are excellent, but the band does have a bad habit of taking the very best that 'The Physics Of Fire' has to offer and cuts them short as soon as they are ready to create a real 'wow' moment. Moreover, while there are riffs and short passages that instantly impress in virtually every track, the way in which these ideas are put together in the structure of the song is rarely complimentary, either sounding generic (as was the case with the opener) or simply weak. An example of this is where the music breaks down into a jazzy melodic section with clean vocals halfway through 'The Monolith', and just as the vocal melody begins to pick up the pace, it abruptly segues into a conventional metalcore section, leaving the listener to wonder why Becoming The Archetype would have not chosen to develop some of the ideas here more fully, instead of trying to throw as many lesser concepts into each song as possible.

Becoming The Archetype are certainly a pretentious bunch of prog metallers, although their firm grasp of musicianship and chemistry as a band cannot be denied. 'The Physics Of Fire' is a fine album that could have been great, had the album been somewhat filtered, and had the better things heard here been focused on more than merely crowding the sound with a thousand riffs that often feel like they do not connect with each other, or go in any particular direction. A good second album from this band, even if it may not be reflective of their obvious potential as a band.

Conor Fynes 'Terminate Damnation' - Becoming The Archetype (7/10)

Despite some less-than-impressive experiences with the band and their music, I decided to seek out the earlier work of the Atlanta metalcore band Becoming The Archetype, having heard the talent and skill audibly evident in their sound. Although I was put off by the overly bombastic shallowness of 'Celestial Completion', looking towards their debut, 'Termiante Damnation' seems like the album I was hoping to hear from this band. Although I am still no fan of the particular melodic metalcore that the band plays, Becoming The Archetype's combination of technicality, diversity and songwriting makes it a wild, yet memorable experience. It is only a shame that the band's output would start going downhill from here for the most part.

Like so many other bands in progressive metal, Becoming The Archetype works the progressive element into their sound by contrasting heavy and light sounds with each other. For instance, it is no surprise here to have a sombre piano interlude be paired up with a crushing breakdown, or vicious shredfest. The dynamic thing rarely gives Becoming The Archetype the semblance of an original act, but the way in which they do this is well worth looking into. Each song is diverse and constantly changing, switching things up even within the constraint of metal. All of this is played with technical precision that goes well beyond the age of the band. For what excellence is here though, Becoming The Archetype are constantly held back by the fact that their sound- yet again- holds very little originality to it, which holds the band back greatly. Moreover, some of the more metalcore leaning elements to the band's formula (such as generic breakdowns) often do not mesh in well with the otherwise very intelligent way the music is composed and played.

Becoming The Archetype is indeed a Christian metal band, but it rarely shines through in the lyrics. While I don't care for the religious aspect of this band- and some in the metal scene may very well blacklist the band immediately because of it- Becoming The Archetype's Christian themes are not overbearing enough to deter from the music, which is very good. The definitive highlight of 'Terminate Damnation' is 'Elegy', a longer piece which climaxes in a stunning piano furnished finale.

A very good debut from Becoming The Archetype overall, although there are even a few issues early on with the band's sound that unfortunately would not be solved with subsequent albums.

Conor Fynes 'Celestial Completion' - Becoming The Archetype (4/10)

A somewhat lukewarm discovery on my part, Becoming The Archetype is one of those bands that is obviously filled to the brim with playing talent, but never seems completely confident enough to find their own ground. My first experience with this American progressive metalcore band, 'Celestial Completion' is certainly the work of talented instrumentalists, and while there are some incredible moments to delve into here for a progressive metal fan, the album is sorely brought down by a general lack of consistency. Although 'Celestial Completion' is rife with promise in parts, the listener should be prepared to wade through some rhinestones along the way.

With an opening segment that instantly recalls the vocal acrobatics of Symphony X, Becoming The Archetype solidify their place as one of the new prog metal bands attempting to relive the glory of the old giants. While this may give only the more negative connotations imaginable, it should be noted that for what they do, Becoming The Archetype do it quite well. Dark and heavy guitar riffs are coupled with the atmospherics of keyboard work and some very good drum work courtesy of the percussionist Nook. This may sound endearing for a fan of progressive metal, but the way it is all put together is incredibly hit-or-miss. More often than not, the band will go from a great moment of technicality to a sickening deathcore moment, or ridiculously cheesy synth section.

Were the album comprised only of the cheesy symphonic metal and deathcore in alternating sequence, 'Celestial Completion' would not be worth a single listen in my eyes. Becoming The Archetype become tricky to review in the sense though that in between these sections of ridicule, there are some very cool things going on. 'Invisible Creature' is a fine example of the sort of interesting things Becoming The Archetype manage to hide in the album, a short but effective raga interlude that segues seamlessly into 'Cardiac Rebellion'. Most of the time however, the great parts of the music are hidden within songs, be it a promising piano breakdown, jazz section or exciting prog riff.

Becoming The Archetype shows themselves off as being full of potential here, but it is a moot point if they let themselves get bogged down by their weak elements.