Sarcolytic - Thee Arcane Progeny [2010] (Technical Brutal Death Metal)
Lable : Unique Leader Records
Ancient extra-terrestrial beings created mankind to be a slave race to harvest gold. They did this by combining their own alien DNA with the DNA of early hominids found on Earth long ago. At least, that's what Zecharia Sitchin believes. Sitchin, an Israeli-American writer, claims to have translated ancient Sumerian texts that describe these events. Although, to most scholars, the accuracy of his "translations" seems sketchy at best. Austin's Sarcolytic has based the lyrics of their newest release, Thee Arcane Progeny, on Sitchin's writings. This makes for a fairly fresh lyrical topic that is interesting for one to explore while listening to the album.
For those who are unfamiliar with Sarcolytic, they are a Texas underground super group of sorts. Three members are also in the lone star brutal death metal band, Images of Violence, while the drummer also plays with Disgorge (USA). Given that information, you know to expect extreme brutality from Sarcolytic. Previously, the band has released an EP and a four-way split CD. With Thee Arcane Progeny, they have traded just a little of their older straight-forward brutality for more musical sophistication. Rest assured, they are still unbelievably heavy.
Jon Furlough (aka Jon Zig) belts out the vocals in a style similar to Frank Mullen. (Speaking of Suffocation, Furlough does artwork and tattoos also. One of his most recent high profile works is the album cover for Suffocation's Blood Oath.) Furlough's vocals fit the music well, and are delivered with power and conviction. Luc Lemay of Gorguts fame helps out on backing vocals on two songs as well. However, the guitars on this album are what really shine the most. Steven Watkin's riffs are complicated yet catchy. He spends most of the album alternating between chugging chords, tremolo-picked single-note riffs, and broad, open-sounding jangly chords. He often plays these more complex chords as arpeggios using a dirty tone. Besides providing contrast, this gives these parts an eerie, off-kilter effect similar to something Immolation or Gorguts might use. This device is used well in both "Thee Arcane Progeny" and "Resurrected for Bloodshed." The bass also plays an important role on Thee Arcane Progeny. (How often can you say that about a death metal album?) Mark Denton plays very tasteful fills that really add to the songs, yet he also knows when to hold back and lay down a solid foundation. His jazzy bass-work on "Emissary" interplays with the guitar, building tension and then releasing to magnificent effect. This is truly the standout track on the album. The drums are the only true gripe on this album, and it has nothing to do with the playing. The drum parts are well executed and interesting enough, but they suffer from the production. The bass drums sound just a little too "clicky" for my tastes. Having said that, I have heard and even enjoyed much worse production. Thin bass drum production is not enough to stop me from thoroughly enjoying this excellent album.
Some of the older "more brutal than thou" fans of Sarcolytic or Images of Violence may think this album is a step down in the brutality department. Although I truly enjoy the older Sarcolytic and Images of Violence material, I love the direction Sarcolytic is pursuing on Thee Arcane Progeny. They are still as heavy as ever, but they are achieving this heaviness in a new, more diverse way. Sarcolytic is beginning to form a more unique musical identity. If the band keeps growing in this direction, they should be gaining some well-deserved attention from more than just death metal's most devout fans.
A note on the artwork: The first couple of hundred copies of Thee Arcane Progeny have a printing error. Rather than featuring the intended artwork, the cover is plain white with only a gold Sarcolytic logo at the top. However, the lyrics on the other side of the foldout cover and the tray card are both printed correctly.
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