architects the here and now

Released: 24 January 2011 Label: Century Media

Anyone who caught Architects on their headlining trek around the UK late last year will already know why there was such a huge buzz leading up to the release of this album. There was the promise of something special being just around the corner and fortunately, the finished product matches those lofty expectations.

The live opener from those shows Day In Day Out kicks off the album and firmly plants Architects circa 2011 at the very peak of their powers, being a top quality modern metal anthem built around inventive rhythms, discordant guitars and passionate vocals.

With the song playlisted on Radio One and having exposed Architects to a mainstream audience for the first time, it’s pleasing that tracks like BTN and Red Eyes display a similar commercial edge and have huge potential to cross over into the wider marketplace.

For some, that in itself is the problem and Architects are set to become expert in dodging the inevitable ‘sell-out’ accusations, but by any reasonable definition this is still a brutal and intense record.

Likewise, the potential Architects fanbase is set to be squeezed at the other extreme by the old school traditionalists who will steadfastly refuse to seek out the lush melodies that lurk within the distortion and screamed vocals. Both sides will fail to appreciate the musical and lyrical bravery that underpins tracks like the raw An Open Letter to Myself.

Whatever their reasons, the negative voices will miss out on what is a great modern rock record, but the vast middle ground between those two intransigent viewpoints is going to enjoy discovering the many pleasures The Here and Now has to offer.  

by Marcus Jervis