The metalcore scene is alive and well in 2025, and each year, it seems more bands enter the genre’s landscape, making it their own. British metalcore darlings ARCHITECTS are one of the genre’s statesmen. The group has been together for roughly 20 years, and they’re showing no signs of slowing, instead letting their music evolve with them as they enter a new phase in their life.
ARCHITECTS are quite the prolific band, too. Now on their 11th studio album, the band shows off their cinematic side on “The Sky, The Earth & All Between”, which is a sonic journey from start to finish. This is ARCHITECTS at their most feral, with aggressive anthems that feature an impenetrable wall of sound.
Opening track “Elegy” hits the listener like a brick of dense sound, with a soft, guitar-driven introduction that makes way for an absolutely pummeling round of guitar riffs, bloody screams and a breakdown that could induce a headache if it wasn’t so beautifully constructed. “Whiplash” follows, one of the album’s first singles, and it goes hard with a tough opening riff that blends into a melodic chorus. For those who prefer their metalcore with lots of melody and some clean singing, “Whiplash” delivers. There is some screaming here, but the chorus is clean and soaring.
Another early single, “Seeing Red”, is another song that offers some melody, as well as chanting children. As with “Whiplash”, the chorus offers clean singing, although with a more high-pitched vocal, and the verses are where vocalist Sam Carter gets his screaming out. “Blackhole” is another single that offers the popular mix of screamy verses and a soaring, clean chorus.
“Landmines” is certainly the most commercial-sounding track on the set. Here, Carter sounds a lot like Chester Bennington, and ARCHITECTS channel their inner LINKIN PARK almost better than the current incarnation of the band. Add to that a short but heavy breakdown, and “Landmines” is a hit single waiting to happen.
Listening to “The Sky, The Earth & All Between” from front to back, what really stands out is not only Carter‘s diverse vocals, but also the band’s pristine instrumentation. From the guitars to bass to rhythms, this band is in the pocket and sounds as tight as ever. “The Sky, The Earth & All Between” is an album that’s so good, it’s hard to see how ARCHITECTS will beat it going from here, but listeners will surely stick around to hear them try.
Source: blabbermouth.net
