Open the Hearts is a recently release by a relatively new player in the black metal scene - Architect of Disease. Given that this band is fairly obscure, a lot of listeners probably don't have a clue as to what this album sounds like. Due to this fact, I would like a to give a brief description of the first track (Leviathan Prayer) which I feel encompasses elements that can be heard throughout the course of the album. The first track begins with feedback noise, followed by a flurry of sound that smacks you right in the ears, followed by some of the most sinister riffs you heard this side of Nocturnal Silence-era Necrophobic. This at the same time this is accompanied by raw-yet-articulate shouted vocals, drums that can be heard clear as day, and to top it all off: punchy and pristine bass (a rarity in this style of music).
Soon after, delicate, dissonant guitar lines begin to creep in. This then leads into an eerie sounding groove section reminiscent of 'Bleached Bones' by Marduk. The song continues on with deliciously intricate black metal, which is eventually accompanied by a detailed, yet-still-dreary sounding solo. The song then picks up in furious fashion in the same way it began and ends soon after. This track left me rather impressed, especially since such a fairly new band was able to skillfully create an original track, while at the same successfully integrating a variety of sounds and techniques that commonly occur in the wide spectrum of black metal. That being said, let's continue on with the more pressing details.
The first feature of the album I would like to highlight is the vocals. The approach here is by far one of the most unique I've heard in a while. The vocals consist mainly of anguish driven shouts which is often intermixed with either vicious mid-range growls or tortured chanting. Very rarely do I hear the what may seem obligatory black metal shrieking (if at all) throughout the album. The man delivers with such passion and emotion, you feel as if you are listening to some provocative, powerful, and nihilistic black metal sermon. Of course vocals alone do not make a great album.
The vocals are masterfully placed in the mix along with thick yet harsh sounding guitars, surprisingly punchy and unfettered bass work, and most importantly furious yet articulate drum work. This album stands at least a few cuts above your average black metal release in the production department. With no instrument overpowering each other you are able to fully absorb Architect of Disease’s aural assault – believe me there’s definitely a lot to take in with this album.
The songs are varied and are quite discernible from each other due to extensive use of melody and fair amount of dynamics within each tracks. Within each track you’ll be bombarded with wicked sounding melodies, and a lot of tempo changes that range from near hyper-speed black metal often slowing down to some soul-wrenching blackened sludge. Of course, the best example being the 15 minute hulk of a track Devour the Sun. This track draws you in and mesmerizes you with sinister guitar harmonization, often tugging on your heartstrings with some driving mid-paced black metal accompanied with arrays of blast beats and cyclically returning to the dreary form from which it started. Additionally this track really shows off the skills of each respective member, as each player seems to not only handle the changes in the song well but also give their own contribution to the track, whether it’s a slick bass line, a vicious guitar solo, tasteful drum fill, or wicked howl.
After all is said and done, Architect of Disease should be damn proud to have this as their first release. Not only do you have a very spot on mixing job, but between and within each song you have a ton of variety: groovy, dark, furious and progressive passages await the listener at every turn. This is all cemented together with a mix of modern and old school black metal elements, which really make this an overall satisfying spin. All of this is executed by clearly professional and technically skilled musicians. 'Open the Hearts' is one of those albums where you can hear the blood and sweat put into the overall work and I feel I am pretty damn fortunate to have been introduced to these guys. I honestly can't wait to see what the future holds for this band. I would highly recommend this to both the casual and veteran black metal listener alike.
Sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=827OwZzcxpc&t=319s
