Album Review
Shocking brilliance is always born from shit.
When the taste of mediocrity is as blatant as your last listen to Turbo Lover and your enjoyment of music becomes a desperate search for new-born heroes...
They always find you first.
Arsis have managed to shame ten years of metal with but one release, for I can honestly say that A Celebration of Guilt is a testament of musical excellence, a work of new-age usurpers teeming with violent majesty and intellect.
This album is an eclectic mix of technical death and black metal laden with melody and impressive time changes while never adhering completely to any particular style. "The face of Innocence" is your bridge to the vortex: Whirling guitars introduce a blur of fantastic riffery and precision fire in the drum department while sorrow-filled laments scream over the pandemonium. Headfuck of the highest order:
You're blasted with melodic thrashing one moment ("Maddening Disdain") and then suddenly faced with an onslaught of... folk! ("Seven Whispers Fell Silent"). The songs are rich with detail and intensity but at the same time it can be just a bit much on your ears. There's so much going on and to enjoy Arsis fully, you need to be completely attentive and more importantly... in the right mood.
There is definitely a healthy thrash influence behind this tremendous duo - I was reminded of Kreator on a few occasions, particularly with "Worship Depraved" and "Elegant and Perverse", but the sonic assault of Arsis is executed with an expertise that would make even Jeff Waters jealous.
This is the Heartwork of the 21st century: Now get off your Arsis and buy it!
Oh... on a final note - this band is not Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian OR German: This fine piece of metal comes from the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Be proud!
When the taste of mediocrity is as blatant as your last listen to Turbo Lover and your enjoyment of music becomes a desperate search for new-born heroes...
They always find you first.
Arsis have managed to shame ten years of metal with but one release, for I can honestly say that A Celebration of Guilt is a testament of musical excellence, a work of new-age usurpers teeming with violent majesty and intellect.
This album is an eclectic mix of technical death and black metal laden with melody and impressive time changes while never adhering completely to any particular style. "The face of Innocence" is your bridge to the vortex: Whirling guitars introduce a blur of fantastic riffery and precision fire in the drum department while sorrow-filled laments scream over the pandemonium. Headfuck of the highest order:
You're blasted with melodic thrashing one moment ("Maddening Disdain") and then suddenly faced with an onslaught of... folk! ("Seven Whispers Fell Silent"). The songs are rich with detail and intensity but at the same time it can be just a bit much on your ears. There's so much going on and to enjoy Arsis fully, you need to be completely attentive and more importantly... in the right mood.
There is definitely a healthy thrash influence behind this tremendous duo - I was reminded of Kreator on a few occasions, particularly with "Worship Depraved" and "Elegant and Perverse", but the sonic assault of Arsis is executed with an expertise that would make even Jeff Waters jealous.
This is the Heartwork of the 21st century: Now get off your Arsis and buy it!
Oh... on a final note - this band is not Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian OR German: This fine piece of metal comes from the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Be proud!
CheezThief |
posted on 7/2008 |
The best metal album of the past ten years. Definitely. James Malone is, in my opinion, the best metal guitarist right now.
B-ricer |
posted on 11/2005 |
Holy Fuck, these guys are GOOD. Im listeneing to one of the mp3's off their website and I cannot wait to some how get this cd. Theer playing is worthy of comparing them to the likes of Nile in speed, complexity and precision. I cannot wait to hear what they have coming up next. WOW.
Pauly |
posted on 7/2005 |
Right on! Arsis has unleashed a masterpiece that's worthy of huge accolades. These Virginans deserve massive worldwide exposure. Easily up there with the best Scandanavian bands like In Flames (Arsis are better and heavier) and At The Gates. Forget the Haunted, Aris steamrolls over their asses!
Slash |
posted on 5/2004 |
This album still fucking rapes by the way. If you people haven't listened to this you are only hurting yourself. Aquire by any means necessary.
And it still should have been given a 666. To those who don't get it or think the songs are "boring", what the fuck are you thinking? You must have been listening to the wrong band.
sathanas |
posted on 5/2004 |
nice fucking order. i order from the end all the time and i've never had an order take that long. i've got all three and i can honestly say you will not be dissapointed with either of them. have you e-mailed tomer or andreas yet? they're pretty cool about working things out...
Dmoralize |
posted on 4/2004 |
Yeah, this disc is goddamn amazing. Extremely catchy yet complex and completely interesting. I really dig the production and the mix, there's so much to listen to and yet it never seems cluttered. Great release, Willowtip has got to be the best label going at the moment.
sean |
posted on 4/2004 |
"an eclectic mix of technical death and black metal"...
i dig this album quite a bit, that is a very misleading statement. arsis are not that technical nor do they come across as particularly death or black metal influenced.
its some dammmnn good melodic death tho, they manage to take the carcass and ATG sound and do their own thing with it. and the songs are catchy as shit
Grindkrusher |
posted on 4/2004 |
This cd thrashed me. I would give this a 666 too. I was amazed that this was the work of only 2 people and they don't look that old from the photo in the cd. This is definitely worth the 10 bucks (which includes shipping) that I paid at willowtips web site. If you go there, pick up In Quest for $10 also! You owe it to yourself to at least check this band out!
ALEX deMUSTAINE |
posted on 4/2004 |
I would have mentioned the artwork if I'd ever seen it! Lyric songs and titles?? come on man... what the fuck is "Carnal Ways to Recreate the Heart" supposed to mean, I actually thought some of the song titles were kind of silly but I hardly care considering the quality of this band.
tipton |
posted on 4/2004 |
i know i'm biased, but this one absolutely kills all other melodic death metal out there today, i really think its the best release in the genre since slaughter of the soul. one thing that must be noticed is how aggressive Arsis are, and how they are melodic yet orignal... and they write songs with tons of riffs, but its extremely catchy. unreal solos. i don't get the folk reference at all but i guess thats cool. i wish the reviewer would have mentioned the artwork/layout which i think is top notch, and the lyrics/song titles which are both way way above average. thank you for the review, i'm glad some are enjoying this.
