![]() ![]() Lyrical metaphors that again tie in with earlier pieces of music capture a state of deprivation and an attempt to carry on living life while destroyed on the inside. Expansive choruses shower the listener with a push to break into something new, while also painting how dire things are. Plunged into a world of darkness and confusion, we’re faced with the need to ‘find a way’ to heal instead of staying in survival mode (unnecessarily). “Hereafter” is a sonic marriage between polished smoothness and curious self-perception with thunderous blows that reflect the beating that life has dealt. “The hereafter”) as well as defining a point of change (as in “from now on”), it’s a deceptively simple choice that expresses much. With the track’s title operating as both a reference to life after death (ie. “Hereafter” follows, which (after infinite listens since its release as a single) I’m somehow now ‘trained’ to tear up about before the first verse is even over, anticipating the emotional thump. “The everlasting sleep returning through the veilįar beneath the deep, another soul sets sail” We’re intriguingly left teetering on the precipice at the end of the track. Falling into bending guitar savagery, the bridge throws punches while orchestral searching runs swiftly underneath. It feels serene and fluid at times before bursting into flames at others. Though I’m admittedly not well-versed in Architects’ discography to expect that I’ll be able to spot all of the homages to their earlier work (and affectionate nods toward Tom with these choices), lyrically “Memento Mori” links into “Death Is Not Defeat” with shared phrases and words, most impactfully at the bridge.īlending stunning orchestral moments and heartwrenching fire, stepped down riffs and plunging beats make for an album opener that is as captivating as it is emotionally impactful. As bitter of a pill as it is to swallow, we’re all mortal beings and destined to die, regardless of how much we are loved. Thematically “Death Is Not Defeat” directly ties into Architects’ previous album All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us and the final track “Memento Mori” (which literally translates to ‘remember that you have to die’). Lyrically referring to it being ‘in our design’ coupled with the statement of ‘Don’t be afraid, we all cross the same line’ came across as graceful reassurances toward loved ones or toward those who are not yet at the same acceptance of death, or the balance of life and death knowing that ‘the flame must decay’. ![]() The album opener seemed to speak as a person on the cusp of dying, or at least someone recognising the inevitable cycle of life that affects us all. In my exploration of the album, I was only at the first verse of first track “Death Is Not Defeat” and was already tearing up. So you couldn’t really think of anything more personal.” And there, emblazoned on the vinyl insert – fittingly encircled and fading into a dark kaleidoscopic void are the words “For Tom”. So it sort of engulfed my life, and everything to do with it is about my life. He died, and we’re carrying on without him and I’ve written the album about that. In Dan’s words “My brother was the songwriter. Holy Hell marks a regrouping for Architects, and a glimpse at the personal world one finds themselves in when they lose someone they love. They’d also welcomed Josh Middleton into the band a guitarist that the members of Architects were not only close to, but someone that Tom had wanted to have on board. ![]() Architects described it as a team process in bringing the songs to life, including songs that Tom had created prior to his death. The contrast of their stature as a band and newbie uncertainty was something that understandably inspired nervousness. ![]() Within the documentary Holy Ghost, the members of Architects were honest in saying that the process of making the album came with insecurities this band hitting significant peaks of success was suddenly having to start anew. The band have had to process the loss in more ways than one, losing their primary songwriter as well as their beloved brother and bandmate. Released on 9th November via Epitaph Records, the album is the first release for the UK quintet since founding guitarist and songwriter Tom passed away in 2016 of melanoma skin cancer. Staring down a dark tunnel of grief after the loss of their bandmate Tom Searle, Architects created Holy Hell with their pain. ![]()
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