SPIRAL ARCHITECT — Spiral Architect (review)

SPIRAL ARCHITECT — Spiral Architect album cover Demo · 1995 · Progressive Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Spiral Architect" is the first (and the only) demo recording by Norwegian technical/progressive metal act Spiral Architect. The demo was recorded in August 1995 and it features two tracks and total playing time of 13:16 minutes. Spiral Architect formed in 1990 as Anesthesia, but they changed their name to Spiral Architect in 1993. Especially drummer Asgeir Mickelson was busy recording and touring with artists like Scariot, Testament, Borknagar (among others), and maybe that´s why it took the band five years before they were signed by Sensory Records for the release of their January 2000 debut full-length studio album "A Sceptic's Universe".

Stylistically Spiral Architect can be described as Watchtower meets Psychotic Waltz. They are technically very well playing and their songs are complex in structure, jazz/fusion influenced, and feature almost constant rhythm and time-signature changes, but there´s also a dark almost psychedelic edge to the music, which is the element of the band´s music which keeps it grounded and slightly more melodic and memorable compared to similar artists like Watchtower and Spastic Ink. Of the two tracks "Purpose" is exclusive to this demo while "Fountainhead" would be re-recorded and included on "A Sceptic's Universe".

The performances are through the roof...and that goes for both the instrumental performances and the vocal performance by Leif J. Knashaug (who would not sing on "A Sceptic's Universe"). The bass is fusion influenced and very dominant in the soundscape, and the same can be said about the complex and technically difficult drumming. The guitar riffs can be both heavy but just as often lead theme oriented (clean guitars are also used). Both tracks on the demo are very complex in structure and you won´t find any clear vers/chorus structures here. Instead the tracks feel linear in structure, but still with a compositional plan and even some melodic hooks.

The demo features a decent but not perfect demo quality sound production. You can easily hear all details, but when you listen to the demo you immediately recognise that it´s not a professional sound production like you normally hear on a studio album. It´s still pretty well sounding though, so it´s not a major issue. Upon conclusion this is a very promising and quite challenging first demo release from Spiral Architect. Although it would take the band 5 years to released their debut album, it´s not for a lack of quality of their compositions or their performances. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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