Becoming The Archetype - Dichotomy Review

Becoming The Archetype - Dichotomy

Rating

RIYL

Unearth
Opeth
Demon Hunter

Tracklist

01. Mountain Of Souls
02. Dichotomy
03. Artificial Immortality
04. Self Existent
05. St. Anne's Lullaby
06. Ransom
07. Evil Unseen
08. How Great Thou Art
09. Deep Heaven
10. End Of The Age

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Recent Ratings [more]
twodaysslow	Max
Aaron Yarborough	Rick Gebhardt
benny06	Spartan E7

Since Between The Buried And Me have recently crossed over from metalcore into straight up progressive metal, Becoming The Archetype have now stepped up and taken the crown as the most epic metalcore band in the genre. With Devin Townsend behind the mixing board on this attempt, and a slew of impressive instrumentation and musicianship, together the team delivered one of the more solid metal albums of the year with Dichotomy. Only a very few quirks keep this record from being the very best.

Becoming The Archetype have gone through a couple of member changes since their debut record, Terminate Damnation. After losing a few of the early guitarists, the band gained guitarist Alex Kenis of Aletheian who was most likely responsible for the ever so progressive The Physics Of Fire, released just last year. After losing Alex, the band regained original guitarist Jon Star. The mix up of the two guitarists may have helped the band keep diversity between the last two albums, as Dichotomy isn’t quite as beefy as the previous album is, but that doesn’t mean it’s not as good as The Physics of Fire. It may even be better.

Not only are the songs very well written on this record, but they couldn’t have been better produced, proving that Devin Townsend truly is a genius at what he does. One may not hear more soundscapes and clever effects present in a metalcore album as much as they will on this record. The addition of guest appearances from Devin himself, Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter, and soprano Susan Richter really keep the songs fresh, and although the track lengths may have been cut down a bit from the previous two records, the production really keeps these tracks sounding more epic than ever.

Speaking of that overused word, you really can’t leave it out when listening to the final track, “End of an Age”, which sounds like a medley between Becoming The Archetype, Opeth, and Amon Amarth. The repetitive yet beautiful ending to the song is a perfect way to cap off a great album, although it ends much faster than you would like. A song or two more would have made up for the shorter song lengths to keep this album ending a bit too fast.

Becoming The Archetype have successfully written three very solid records and are well on their way to securing their stand in a fizzling genre. With songs like “Mountain of Souls” and “Deep Heaven”, there’s no doubt they are pushing the envelope, creating the most unique sounds in modern metalcore, and diversifying the scene. Be sure to check out Dichotomy for your fix of earth quaking metal.

--Chris Pandolfo

Author

cloudscollide

Last updated: 09/29/2009 09:01PM

Comments

skyisonfire

11/26/2008

07:30AM

Location
canada

very well written review. if it had one more solid song, instead of the instrumental, then id have to give it a 4.5 to maybe a 5 out of 5. ive been listening to this album since i got it everyday.

Rick Gebhardt

11/26/2008

09:30AM

Age: 31

Location
Minnesota

Terminate Damnation was awesome. Looking back, it should have been in my top 10. The Physics of Fire, however, I thought was terrible. It was watered down and, I felt, poorly written. Dichotomy falls in between - not nearly as good as Terminate Damnation, but not nearly as shitty as last album. There are some solid songs on this effort, but I think it's only a 3.5-ish for me. I don't quite see it breaking into 4 territory.

Find me EVERYWHERE:

tim

11/26/2008

05:06PM

Age: 28

Location
Green Brook, NJ

this record is fantastic. i can't stop listening to it.

Spartan E7

11/26/2008

05:17PM

Age: 25

Location
Infinitely Inwards

rmgebhardt

Terminate Damnation was awesome. Looking back, it should have been in my top 10. The Physics of Fire, however, I thought was terrible. It was watered down and, I felt, poorly written. Dichotomy falls in between - not nearly as good as Terminate Damnation, but not nearly as shitty as last album. There are some solid songs on this effort, but I think it's only a 3.5-ish for me. I don't quite see it breaking into 4 territory.

well that sums up my thoughts.

Ever Forthright - Ever Forthright
Fallujah - The Harvest Wombs
The New Law - The Fifty Year Storm
The Mars Volta - Noqtourniqet
Aborted - Global Flatline
Spawn of Possession - Incurso
Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind)The Crafty Ape

cloudscollide

11/26/2008

05:36PM

Age: 23

Location
PA

Spartan E7

well that sums up my thoughts.

Thomas, you thought The Physics of Fire was awful?

Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)

Spartan E7

11/26/2008

05:48PM

Age: 25

Location
Infinitely Inwards

cloudscollide

Thomas, you thought The Physics of Fire was awful?

well, in its defense, i loved it when it came out; and i still think it towers above most other metalcore albums. I just have to say that i have been a little less appreciative(recently)of BTA's production on their last album. On the other hand, the new production is fuckin killer, but the songwriting has degraded from their previous 2. There is always somethin to hate ,huh..... Mainly i was agreeing with Ricks sentiments about the new album, not so much on the other albums. 7/10 for me bro.

Oh, by the way chris, i fuckin tried to play "live" with you the other night but either the internet or xbox'x servers were havin some problems because it wouldn't let me join anybody on my friends list. It finally pissed me off so bad that i quit playing. Anyway, i shoud be on more often so we'll try again next time.

logan37

11/26/2008

05:52PM

Age: 21

Location
Toronto

album is decent at best.

cloudscollide

11/26/2008

05:56PM

Age: 23

Location
PA

Spartan E7

Oh, by the way chris, i fuckin tried to play "live" with you the other night but either the internet or xbox'x servers were havin some problems because it wouldn't let me join anybody on my friends list. It finally pissed me off so bad that i quit playing. Anyway, i shoud be on more often so we'll try again next time.

Ah, yeah shit happens man. I'm usually on COD almost every night so i'm sure I'll catch you on there soon!

Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)

Spartan E7

11/26/2008

06:03PM

Age: 25

Location
Infinitely Inwards

logan37

album is decent at best.

what have you been enjoying recently logan?

thecubist

11/27/2008

01:09PM

Location
PA

I agree with the statement:not as good as Terminate Damnation,quite a bit better than Physics.

Probably will be on my top of the year list or at least a close runner up

A Spaceman.

logan37

11/27/2008

02:00PM

Age: 21

Location
Toronto

Spartan E7

what have you been enjoying recently logan?

metalwise? nothing recently.

Spartan E7

11/27/2008

02:40PM

Age: 25

Location
Infinitely Inwards

logan37

metalwise? nothing recently.

just wonderin....always lookin for different input.

Mike Duchnowsky

11/29/2008

01:50AM

Age: 27

Location
West Haven, CT

Good Cd.
I agree with this review 100%

The Cityscape Burns Brighter By The Hour.

NiCK JAMES

12/04/2008

08:22PM

Age: 20

Location
Lakewood, OH

Love.

http://www.last.fm/user/nicklovesohio

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