With deep roots dating back over twenty years, British Metalcore veterans Architects return on February 28, 2025, with their new studio album, The Sky, the Earth & All Between, through Epitaph Records.
Looking back, the East Sussex, England band was initially formed by twin brothers Dan (on drums) and Tom Searle (guitar) in 2004. With much changing since then, after the release of All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us in 2016, the band was dealt a heavy blow with the unfortunate passing of Tom Searle at only 28 years old after a battle with cancer. Losing a friend, brother, and key contributor to the band, Architects have continued on in his honor, putting out compelling music along the way.
Currently consisting of Dan Searle, Vocalist Sam Carter, Bassist Alex Dean, and Guitarist Adam Christianson, the band has released eleven studio albums – four after Tom’s passing, including the brand-new The Sky, the Earth & All Between. Architects have never made fans wait more than a couple of years between offerings. With that in mind, three years after 2022’s The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit, The Sky, the Earth & All Between, they present a compelling edition of their already brutal catalog of aggressive Metalcore.
Their style has been forceful in how a river relentlessly carves a new path through solid granite. However, this time around, the approach is more subtle, but the effect remains the same. With a new path begun, the vocal stylings of Sam Carter on The Sky, the Earth & All Between are more expansive and creative. Taking more chances, the hardcore guttural has not been supplanted but has given more ground to the melodic, catchy style that the band has allowed to creep into their style.
With The Sky, the Earth & All Between, the result is a hook-filled slugfest rife with Nardcore melodic vocals, gut-wrenching screams, syncopated, slamming rhythms, and Industrial and Techno elements. This is all tied up with some old-school sensibility to deliver a slamming record guaranteed to draw in new fans while pissing off others while making all feel alive and engaged one way or the other.
Overall, The Sky, the Earth & All Between is quite an interesting album. Standouts include the single “Seeing Red,” which is joined by “Brain Dead” (featuring House of Protection) and “Landmines.” There is also “Judgment Day,” which includes Amira Elfeky as a guest vocalist, adding yet another stylistic choice to the record. The evolution of a band musically can have a detrimental effect on its fanbase, but Architects are staying true to the ones they brought to the dance. Without sacrificing an ounce of ferocity, the band has only added layers of complexity and instrumentation to this latest production. That is why Cryptic Rock gives The Sky, the Earth, & All Between 3 out of 5 stars.
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