Released: March Genre: Metalcore Metacritic rating: 79 CRM Rating: 9/10
Architects are the best thing to happen to heavy British music in what feels like a long time, and their sixth LP is with little doubt the strongest release from the scene in 2014, a blistering behemoth of a record which throws punch after punch and almost certainly comes out as the reigning champion. I made a point in my review back in March that Hollow Crown remained the best thing the band have ever done, but nine months on I’m not so sure. With each listen Lost Forever // Lost Together has floored me with the sheer emotion and passion it possesses, both of which hit harder due to instrumentals and vocals which hit incredibly hard anyway.
After the bitterly disappointing The Here And Now (my opinion on that record definitely hasn’t changed) the band truly delivered on what was expected of them, and by this point what’s expected of Architects is brilliance. Gravedigger kicks things off with ‘blegh’s’ aplenty, encouraging a riot with a track which is both ferocious and lyrically driven, as are most of the songs on show here. Ranging from religion to animal slaughters to nuclear disasters Lost Forever // Lost Together is almost certainly a record with a great deal to say, and it’s often screamed by vocalist Sam Carter. The djent elements littered throughout are a firm addition, and even at the records heaviest there’s still a stunning clarity to the music featured, C.A.N.C.E.R being furiously heavy and technical whilst delivering a compelling narrative. Although the singles on the album are certainly standouts, personally, it’s Colony Collapse on which the band indisputably excel. It’s a juggernaut, a sonic powerhouse the band might never beat, a towering track as devastating as its lyrical focal point. Architects are immensely good at what they do, and they’re flying the flag for British metalcore, showing no signs of abandoning the mantle just yet. Lost Forever // Lost Together is the sound of a band at the top of their game, and I salute them for every second featured here.
Craig Reviews Music 