Becoming The Archetype – Celestial Completion – Review

Becoming the Archetype has always taken a brutal, yet melodic approach. Blending styles and melodies with ease, precision, and technicality. The band continues on this approach with their latest album entitled Celestial Completion out now through Solid State.

The album starts off with a choir of sopranos, sure it is different but it doesn’t make much sense as far as setting the tone for the album. Looking past this oddity, we dig into some songs that come across with sweet melodies and a good contrast between clean vocals and screams. But, as the album moves forward you can’t help but feel a sense of multiple personalities. The guitars have graceful flowing riffs, but vocals, keyboard solos, and even trombones among other things make the album feel like a movie with too many edits and not enough continuity. As soon as you get into a groove it cuts to something just different enough to make you go, “huh?” At times I feel like I am listening to The Faceless lite at times.

It may seem like I hate the album at this point, I really do not, tracks like Elemental Wrath Requiem Aeternam Pt. 2 barring the vocoder was a flawless number. Also, I appreciate that Becoming the Archetype took risks and this is not your run of the mill, metal by numbers album. However, some of their risks were busts in my eyes. It felt like a discordant piece of art, rather than a elegant flowing masterpiece it could have been by using more cohesive elements. Two favorite things about Becoming the Archetype that remains, the riffs are stellar and the diverse screams and growls especially highlighted on Xenosynthesis Requiem Pt. 3.

This album is different, it feels a bit obscure and askew at times, but is worth a listen for the riffs alone. It is after that initial listen whether you will either fall in love with Celestial Completion, or be put off by the risks Becoming the Archetype took. Either way this band still shows great promise, I just hope their next effort has a more cohesive feel. [James Terry]

Score: 3 (out of 5)

Release Date: March 29th, 2011
Record Label: Solid State Records
Genre: Progressive Death Metal

RIYL: Demon Hunter, Living Sacrifice.

Track Listing:
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 Part I
6. Elemental Wrath: Requiem Aeternam Part II
7. Xenosynthesis: Requiem Aeternam Part III
8. Invisible Creature
9. Cardiac Rebellion
10. Reflect/Refract
11. Breathing Light