Dichotomy

About

The many shards of Christian metal fuse together in the magma-hot sounds of Becoming the Archetype. Various elements seethe and spew across the tracks of <i>Dichotomy</i>, BTA’s third and arguably best effort. The band’s aesthetic kinship with ‘70s progressive rock is revealed by Brent Duckett’s time-shifting drum work and the orchestral guitar lines of Alex Kenis. Any tendencies toward prettiness are blasted away by the scorched-throated bellows of bassist Jason Wisdom, who delivers <i>Dichotomy</i>’s tales of divine majesty and human depravity with the fervor of a crazed prophet. “Mountain of Souls,” “Evil Unseen,” and “Artificial Lullaby” feature ferocious riffage, often embellished by Seth Hecox’s synthesizer textures. Beyond the assault power of the songs, there are fascinating complexities to be found, such as the Medievalist revisions to “How Great Thou Art” and the intricate rhythms beneath “End of the Age.” The classical guitar interlude “St. Anne’s Lullaby” provides an island of serenity amidst the tsunamis of sound. Harrowing but heroic, Dichotomy slams hard and slices deep, even as it exalts the spirit.

via Apple Music