Three long years since post-metal juggernauts Mouth of the Architect released their last album, titled Dawning. The record was okay, not too shabby, without trying to make tectonic shifts in the post-metal world. It was a well-rounded album, lacking a final punch, a feat that would make the record great, no just good.
Three years later we have new material from one of the biggest post-metal band of today. Path of Eight got released a couple of months ago, consisting out of eight songs and spanning just under 45 minutes. The record starts with haunting Ritual Bell, droning and dark song that is basically a four and a half-minute intro. It sets the ground for the rest of the album quite well, giving us hints of what we can expect during the next forty or so minutes.
The band kept its signature post-metal sound, combining heavy guitars and eerily atmosphere with even more clean vocals, more than ever before. As soon as you hear growls, be prepared for an explosion of energy, for a kick in the head. Although most of the album flows slow and steady, there are enough vicious parts to appease most post-metal lovers.
Mouth of the Architect managed to incorporate some progressive elements into their sound; just hear the phenomenal guitar lines found in Fever Dream, they sound like they come from some progressive rock album recorded by Spock’s Beard. The Priestess includes female vocals, giving the song a strong Subrosa vibe, with just one trippy violin line less from being a proper Subrosa song.
The album is comprised out of three parts. The first three songs are slower, more atmospheric, doomy, and without any major kick. After the first three, the second two compositions are hellish post offerings releasing massive amounts of anger and suffering into the air. Drown the Old is especially haunting, with its wicked melodies, hellish growls, and thought-provoking lyrics. The song radiates with a kind of a dark positive energy that can’t be described with mere words; you have to listen to it to get the idea of what I’m talking about.
Sever the Soul is another album favorite, offering wicked guitars and tortured vocals, which will make you tremble. The last part of the album again steers the record into tranquil waters, with one surprise appearing near the end of the album closer.
The main complaint with Path of Eight is that, at times, songs sound like they are stretched too long; also, there are just too few growls to be heard. And, the album isn’t something you’ll listen every day, it’s complex and thick and dark. And despite the inclusion of female vocals and progressive guitars, in the end, Path of Eight is just another post-metal release, one of the best post-metal albums of 2016, but still just good old atmospheric post-metal. So, if you really love post sound, check this out, if you’ve had enough with hundreds of post-metal records sounding too similar one to another, better skip Path of Eight and search for something more unique.
