Architects
For Those That Wish To Exist

The mere fact that they continue to exist despite the tragedy that struck in 2016, when they lost Tom Searle (founder, main composer, and brother of drummer Dan), is in itself touching. Knowing that the Architects are committed to a promise with "For Those That Wish To Exist" tightens the knot in the throat even further.

After processing their grief with "Holy Hell" (Epitaph, 2018), the Brighton combo returns to the studio to heal a still open wound and does so with unexpected audacity both in scope and execution, diluting their abrasive sensitivity with abundant blooms of pop accessibility.
In this regard, the way the Architects have maintained their dignity during this dangerous transition period represents another small miracle.

However, we are faced with a work that is far from perfect, beginning with its length, but precisely because of this, it is highly likely that anyone with an ear for alternative rock might find some good things in it, such as the lush, cinematic soundscapes of "Dead Butterflies," the industrial metal groove of "Animals," and the furious metalcore elements of "An Ordinary Extinction" and "Discourse Is Dead."
It is no easy feat to maintain the listener's attention throughout an entire tracklist, especially for an album of 15 tracks like this one, but it is impossible to become bored jumping from the dirty heaviness of "Giving Blood" to the melodies of "Meteor," up to the splendid choral abduction in "Dying Is Absolutely Safe."

Elsewhere it's easy to encounter moments that weaken the listening experience, above all the lyrical cliché of "Animals" and the innocuous "Demi God," in addition to a massive dose of synths seemingly to smooth out the excess melodic material here and there. There is a lack of order, and it couldn’t be otherwise; it's not an easy time for anyone, and current affairs forcibly enter the folds of the record with their themes, sometimes political ("Discourse Is Dead"), sometimes environmental ("Meteor").

Among the various guests, Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro stands out in what represents the manifesto of "For Those Who Wish To Exist": in how it sounds and what it expresses, "Goliath" suggests that acceptance breeds optimism, offering a clear synthesis of the contradiction at the center of Architects' recent career; the darker things get, the more they boldly emerge into the light, the less they frighten.

Let's dry our eyes and take a deep breath; what we have in our hands may not be a cure-all, but it is undoubtedly a balm.