Reviews list for Architects - Holy Hell (2018)

Holy Hell... That would be a phrase I would think the first time I hear Architects' amazing mid-2010s trio of albums. The album Holy Hell shows the band starting to go back to the descending quality first experienced from Nightmares to The Here and Now. However, here they still have their greatness, and it shows that despite losing one of their most talented and devoted members, they can stay strong and pay tribute to their fallen friend.

Just a few months after the release of their wild emotional 2016 album All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, founding guitarist Tom Searle passed away from skin cancer. Throughout their next 11-track album Holy Hell, the band can pick up their broken hearts, heal them with determination, and maintain Tom's legacy. With every riff and lyric, there's a glow of sadness and strength. Holy Hell continues the atmospheric metalcore of their previous album while hinting at a bit of the alt-metal direction they would take afterwards. Lead guitarist Josh Middleton (frontman of Sylosis) steps in with impressive leads and melodies, while Tom's twin, drummer Dan Searle, continues firing away.

For the first track "Death is Not Defeat", some of the most intense lyrics and music I've heard in this amazing masterpiece of a song! If death catches up to me on an untimely moment, I'd like this as my funeral song, along with its epic prequel track "Memento Mori". Absolutely underrated! The rhythm in the final minute, towards the end, shows the Tom era coming full circle. "Hereafter" has powerful raw emotion, relatable to anyone with the pain of losing someone close to you. Another immortal classic "Mortal After All" has some of the most impressive riffing by the band outside the mid-2010s trio. The title track throws back to the hardcore rhythms of early 2010s Bring Me the Horizon, while blending them with slight electronic ambience that band was experimenting with at the time, a subtle hint at what Architects would have in their next album.

"Damnation" takes on thrash-ish prog leveled up by loudness. Ali Dean performs audible bass grooves that fit in nicely sandwiched between the leads and rhythms. Then we have another impressive heavy/melodic track, "Royal Beggars". Then "Modern Misery" is a sludgy djenty banger with lyrics that fans would wear on their arms and sleeves, "we used to run with the wolves". It's a f***ing catchy standout to sing along to. "Dying to Heal" continues the furious action. The screams, drums, and guitars are in great synergy with no sign of losing energy.

The short yet metal as f*** "The Seventh Circle" is a rapid frenzy with a lot of the band members' talents. You can get all you want from the brutal side of metalcore in the song's two-minute length. The live crowd would be having a massive moshpit, and you'll have to be prepared enough to survive, otherwise you're f***ed. For anyone thinking the band's heaviness is withering, that will make you change your opinion. I would recommend that track to anyone new to this band wanting to start off with something heavy. The ending breakdown has the most of that heavy hellfire. Another highlight, "Doomsday" is a smooth cool example of Architects' sound after the passing of Tom who, by the way, has co-written the song posthumously. Soft verses make a brilliant contrast with the soaring chorus. "A Wasted Hymn" soars over the line between heaviness and melody, ending the album with more of the band's hunger for both construction and destruction.

Holy Hell shows Architects' rebirth after a tragic loss. Whether it's easy or hard to listen to depends on what you like and the mood you're feeling. And I continue feeling the emotion I get from listening to this band, and their sonic metalcore blasts....

Favorites: "Death is Not Defeat", "Mortal After All", "Royal Beggars", "Modern Misery", "The Seventh Circle", "Doomsday"