This is the fifth album from Canadian death metallers Archspire.
If 2017’s Relentless Mutation was a Big Deal, 2021’s Bleed the Future was a Really Big Deal. So, with a new drummer in tow, (from Oubliette), expectations are high for Too Fast to Die. Can Archspire rise to the occasion?
Thankfully, it’s a yes.
Yep, it’s time for another outing of modern tech death with insanely fast and precise vocals. And just insanely fast and precise overall, in fact. Archspire are back like a surgical wrecking ball, and this time they’ve brought generally longer songs with them. The extremity is withering, but once again Archspire remember that they also need to write actual songs, something many tech death bands neglect in deference to showmanship. Too Fast to Die boasts both ostentatious technicality and real hooks that smack you in the face before embedding themselves in your skull. It’s furious, but catchy. At least, the sort of catchiness that you can only appreciate at 1,000 miles per hour.
Too Fast to Die serves up pretty much exactly what you’d expect and want from Archspire. It doubles down on their particular spin on contemporary technical death metal, forging a hybrid monster of muscular brutality, expanded melody, and constant explosions of technical wizardry. However, it’s not a straight repeat of past outings by any means – the longer-on-average songs give the band more room to play with. Archspire fully embody their utterly ferocious nature, while augmenting it with a few more atmospheric, melodic, epic, and even blackened elements. Too Fast to Die actually offers up more than its name might suggest, and is a very layered and surprisingly well-rounded record, (within the obvious restrictions of the genre).
Archspire take all of the things that legions of faceless technical death metal bands do and gives them personality. This is the pinnacle of a style that’s frequently lacking in any real substance. You can hear echoes of things so many other bands do, yet here they’re refined and perfected. There are zero pointless intros or interlude tracks and precious few moments of breathing room, (which are therefore impactful), just a carefully controlled chaos that bleeds sharpened brutality from every pore. There’s none of the achingly boring stuff here that too much of modern tech death indulges in. Too Fast to Die is pure steroid-enhanced, amphetamine-driven adrenaline. Glorious. And then, after all that, there’s the vocals, which really are in a league of their own.
This is why Archspire are one of the best in the business. They dish out the required splashy, dazzling musicianship, but are also very capable songwriters. The latter makes all the difference, once again resulting in the success that is Too Fast to Die.
Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 