ETHEREAL ARCHITECT

Ethereal Architect is a technical progressive metal band from Austin/Texas - USA with 2 albums under their belt. The second offer from 2012 named simply Monolith is a serious piece of work in this genre. This sophomore release is solid as rock, really kick ass pieces, catchy as hell and top notch musicinship. Something that worth mentioning right from the start is the voice of Adam Contreras. Well he simply shines here, he has a very powerful tone, very elastic voice, he can sing in a very diffrent ways from deep moments to joyful parts, all vocal lines are to me jaw dropping, very good vocalist, in fact one of the best I've heared so far in prog metal zone. The pieces are very well crafted, full of unexpected twists and turns, the rhythmic section is killer. The album overall might be considered guitar driven type of prog metal, David Glass the guitarist is all over the place, having some spectacular moments, complicated passages for sure, but aswell some keyboards appear here and there also provided by David Glass. All musicians work in a perfect unison, awesome interludes between them with great inventive arangements - this is a team work for sure. Highlights for me, Mercury a very progressive tune from the album with sudden tempo changes and impressive vocal delivery, Revolution is another killer tune with blistering moments and mid tempo almost balladesque Obscure with nice smooth elegant vocal lines and great instrumental parts. All in all this is a very worthy album by this unfairly unnoticed band, Ethereal Architect is very talented outfit, one of the best in last years in this realm that didn't get so far the credits they desearve. I personaly love the album overall better then previous work, and have no complains about. Recommended for sure and easy 4 stars, really impressed. For fans of Suspyre, Communic from Denmark, etc

US based band ETHEREAL ARCHITECT was formed back in 2005, and they released their debut album "Dissension" two years later. Since then they have been an active live unit, and recently got themselves a new bassist in the shape of Thad Stevens. "Monolith" is their second full length production, and was self released in 2012.

The musicians of Ethereal Architect have made themselves a strong, interesting and relatively innovative album with their second effort "Monolith". Aggressive yet technical progressive metal with room for gentler nuances and careful details, with room for melody as well as energy and a lead vocalist that provides a strong and distinct melodic dimension whenever the careful keyboard textures don't cater for that part of the proceedings. This is quirky, fairly unpredictable yet also likeable and driving progressive metal. A band well worth investigating if you tend to enjoy progressive metal more closely related in sound to old school thrash than to progressive rock yet closer to the latter in terms of compositional structure and arrangements.

ETHEREAL ARCHITECT are a Metal band out of Texas who have a Power-Metal style to their sound. The vocals are not the best in my opinion and I would say they are the weak link. Also i'm not really that much of a Power-Metal fan although there are exceptions.This unfortunately isn't one of them.

"Phrysian" has a good heavy intro then the vocals and that Power-Metal style take over. Contrasts continue. Lots of riffs here. It settles late to end it. "Still Waiting" is heavy to start. Vocals around a minute but they just don't seem to suit the music here. "Slip" opens with gentle guitar as reserved vocals along with drums join in. It kicks in before 1 1/2 minutes then settles back 3 1/2 minutes in before kicking in again. "Thief" hits the ground running then settles when the vocals arrive but it's still heavy. Contrasts continue. A guitar solo 3 1/2 minutes in. Good song.

"Nevermore" turns heavy before 1 1/2 minutes then settles back as contrasts continue. Some ripping guitar before 4 minutes. I like the vocals best on this song. "Driven" has deeper almost spoken vocals and heaviness. It's okay. "Undone" picks up before 1 1/2 minutes as vocals strain to keep up. It settles back. A guitar solo after 3 1/2 minutes. It settles with strummed guitar and reserved vocals to end it. "Choke" has a heavy intro as urgent vocals join in.The guitar lights it up before 2 minutes. "Negative Two-Thirds" kicks in after a minute with vocals. Double bass drumming too. It settles back after 2 minutes as contrasts continue. A calm with vocals after 6 1/2 minutes for less than a minute. Some nice guitar follows.

Barely 3 stars.

Interesting debut album by this Texas-based outfit.

The main sound of the band seems to be power metal european style, but with complexities and changes of style and pace that makes prog metal a better description of the music here than power metal. In addition to tunes with complex structures, restrained and melodic vocals, neo-classical guitar soloing and harmony guitar soloing; the last of this seemingly influenced by Iron Maiden; and well thought out use of keyboards to add textures to the songs are central elements of the tunes here. In quite a few tunes slightly unrhythmic riff-patterns is a noticeable element as well.

In style I think this band overall sounds pretty similar to Age of Silence - more complexities in the tunes overall, but style and compositional structures aside this is pretty similar to that band in sound.

Ethereal Architect still lack brilliant songs as I see it, and the production on the album, although adequate as it is, could have been a tad better. Overall a promising debut album from what appears to be a talented band.