Album Review :
Becoming The Archetype - Celestial Completion

Artist: Becoming The Archetype
Title: Celestial Completion
Label: Solid State Records
Release Date: 03/29/2011
Reviewer: Jeremiah Holdsworth

Tracklisting:

1.  The Resonant Frequency Of Flesh
2.  The Magnetic Sky
3.  Internal Illumination
4.  Path Of The Beam
5.  Music Of The Spheres: Requiem Aeternam I
6.  Elemental Wrath: Requiem Aeternam II
7.  Xenosynthesis: Requiem Aeternam III
8.  Invisible Creature
9.  Cardiac Rebellion
10.  Reflect/Refract
11.  Breathing Light

A lot of bands come and a lot of bands go.  Many reasons could pertain to this, but the biggest reason in the last few years seems to be the economy.  Another huge reason is the fact that most every metal/core type band has the same similar sound, whether it be guitar riffs, drumming, and lastly breakdowns.  Very few go above and beyond to be different, so what’s left is a bunch of bands that sound the same.  Only a few are ever going to make it in this economy, so you have to be different if you want to succeed.  I know I want to be blown away by musicianship, as well as lyrically.  Becoming The Archetype is one of those few metal bands that isn’t afraid to stand out and be different, which is constantly earning them new fans.  With each album they did more and more things musically to stand out from the rest of the crowd.  With their latest Celestial Completion, they went way above and beyond, experimenting with all sorts of instruments and effects.  As a whole this is metal, but with the added dose of experimenting going on, it brings all sorts of sub-genres that act as branches to the tree.

“The Resonant Frequency Of Flesh” starts this album off with eerie symphonic black metal keys, operatic vocals, and a choir of sopranos, which leads into grungy guitar and constant double bass playing.  It felt like I was listening to strategically placed pieces of music from Beliah, Sarah Brightman, and Nirvana, that formed this euphoric mix of operatic symphonic black metal grunge.  It’s one of the best opening intros I’ve ever heard to kick start an album.  I love these lyrics

There was a time when we all sang the song of death.
But now our bodies resonate… (our bodies resonate…)
Our living souls (souls) reverberate… the music of eternal light.

“The Magnetic Sky” starts out with some excellent clean vocals from Daniel Gailey and then goes into Jason Wisdom’s death growls.  It’s an amazingly catchy song that also brings out the core side of the band with two breakdowns.

“Internal Illumination” kicks off with plenty of guitar riffs and blast beats.  It has a lot of different vocal ranges from Jason, and the added black screams from Daniel Gailey add an extra element to the intensity of the song.  The last part of the song slows down and you can just hear the emotion in Jason as he claims

No more painting shadows on the canvas of life.
No more drinking water out of wells that are dry… dry… dry.
No more painting shadows on the canvas of life.
No more drinking water out of wells that are dry… dry… dry.
No more painting shadows on the canvas of life.
No more drinking water out of wells that are dry… dry… dry.

“Path Of The Beam” has an amazing opening lyric

The crooked path is becoming straight as we move toward perfection.
That old black rider ever chasing no longer sets the direction.

Before I was a believer in Christ I was dead and knew not were I was going.  Death followed me everywhere and I was always scared of it.  I didn’t know I was a dead man walking.  When Christ came into my life, I saw the entire world with a new set of eyes.  As Christ grows in me, my path becomes more straight as he sets the direction now; instead of the old black rider which is still ever chasing.  The song itself changes up a lot, which keeps it fresh with symphonic synths, grungy guitar riffs, clean guitar riffs, clean vocals, black screams, plenty of death growls, blastbeats, double bass, a breakdown, gang vocals, and an excellent guitar solo.

“Music Of The Spheres: Requiem Aeternam I” is a short but sweet piano instrumental, that’s the best since Cerimonial Sacred’s My Dead Feelings.  Music Of The Spheres, like My Dead Feelings, is just too short and both could have been epic if they had been written out to last a few extra minutes.  As is, this added to a break from the intensity of the album.

“Elemental Wrath: Requiem Aeternam II”  is the longest track on the record and the most diverse.  It features all sorts of electronics, church bells, vocoder death vocals, jazz, and a piano solo, which accompanies their usual soaring guitar playing, heavy guitar riffs, blastbeats, frequent double bass, and not one but two epic guitar solos.  This is probably my favorite track on the album, especially for its diversity.  I can’t wait until the curse of death is lifted!

All the earth is silent. The universe has shifted.
Creation holds its breath as the curse of death is lifted… lifted.
All the earth is silent. The universe has shifted.
Creation holds its breath as the curse of death is lifted.

“Xenosynthesis: Requiem Aeternam III” is symphonic operatic black metal, with death vocals, and some black screams.  I know some hardcore black metal fans like their black metal done lo-fi style, but I personally can’t stand it.  I like mine with excellent production and it sadly lacks on the christian side of music.  The operatic vocals are some what haunting as she sings, Soli Deo Gloria, which translated means Glory to God Alone.  I liked how the lyrics ended the song

Soli Deo Gloria. Soli Deo Gloria. You can’t save yourself.

The ocean echoes back the music of eternity. The blackest sky gives way to perfect beauty.

Requiem (Requiem) Aeternam. Soli Deo Gloria . [Latin for: Eternal Rest. Glory to God alone.]

“Invisible Creature” is a very short instrumental piece that features Middle Eastern Sitar, which acts as a prelude to “Cardiac Rebellion”.  This track is by far my least favorite track on the album.  It features Dennis Culp of Five Iron Frenzy on trombone and I thought his presence was going to add an amazing element to the track.  Well I was quite disappointed with his playing, which was quite boring to me.  I guess I was expecting some awesome trombone solo, but that didn’t happen.  The latter half of the track goes all ska on you and it feels out of place with the rest of the album.

“Reflect/Refract” brings back the death metal intensity which became lost on the last track.  The middle of the track brings in some clean vocals and gets very melodic, before going into a welcoming guitar solo that proceeds the ending lyrics

Reflect, refract. Reflect, refract.
Break me. Remake me, a mirror that reflects Your glory.
Break me. (Break me) Remake me, (Remake me,) a mirror that reflects You perfectly.

“Breathing Light” rounds out this amazing album with melodic progressive death metal euphoria.  The opening clean vocals really set the tone for the rest of the song, as well as how they end the song.  It also brings chilling symphonic keys, guitar riffs that will melt your face, shout along gang chants, and another fantastic guitar solo. This all makes up a package that lets this song be a brilliant closer.

Overall: Celestial Completion was one of my most anticipated albums of 2011 and it lived up to the hype in more ways then one. The only letdowns on the album were the two short instrumental tracks, as well as Cardiac Rebellion.  I didn’t expect to get such a diverse album, but it leaves my mouth watering for me.  Hopefully, Lord willing, these guys will be able to release an EP of hymns and another full length album.