Arcaeon – Cascadence
Release Date: 12th February 2021
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Progressive Metalcore, Djent, Progressive Metal.
FFO: Periphery, Ne Obliviscaris, Devin Townsend, The Arusha Accord, The Human Abstract, Between the Buried and Me, Monuments, Valis Ablaze.
Review By: Ryan Shearer
Once in a blue moon you’ll get a debut album like this. Reading locals Arcaeon, formed from previous members of the bands Clockwork & Doomed from Day One, have created an absolutely stellar debut.After the Balance EP in 2018 they have focused on creating something cohesive and all their own. Cascadence is a dense, intricate & entertaining album that any fan of modern progressive metal is going to enjoy.
The opener Infernum Demergis is an instrumental soundscape, setting the tone for Cascadence. The low-fi guitar melody reinforced by matching synths builds into Origin of Dreams. A powerful scream punches through the heavy instrumentals before transitioning into a soaring vocal run. Right off the bat, you get a feel for Stuart Sarre’s vocal versatility. It closes with aggressive, dissonant synths and pounding drums; it serves its purpose well as an introduction of what Cascadence is about – chaotic, fun progressive metalcore.
Replicant. Fucking hell. It’s like if someone set off a bunch of fireworks off up a demon’s arse. It’s absolutely bonkers, with erratic synth tones like a warning siren and guitar/bass tones as angry as they come. Ezekiel’s Wheel is much more laid back with more traditional progressive grooves and structure. A tasty, legato fusion-esque solo is executed wonderfully well, with guitarists Rhys Tomas and Sam Machin blending between silky smooth call-and-response licks and harmonised melodies.
Beyond the Spires – Beneath the Canopy is a very Periphery styled, riff-heavy track absolutely overflowing with energy. The introductory bass is tight and aggressive as all good metal bass should sound. The aforementioned vocal versatility of vocalist Stuart is really highlighted here, with demonic screams reminiscent of Periphery’s Froggin Bullfish. It closes with intricate guitars overlaid with a staccato synth, followed by a no-nonsense djenty section Meshuggah would be proud of. Cascade is solemn and contemplative, the closest to a ballad the album has.
With Arcaeon created Cascadence with the concept of colour as their driving force, I get the impression Heretic is a based on a bright and saturated one – it’s a much more positive and vibrant track starting with a bouncy 8-bit melody and ending with an abrasive breakdown. The Gameboy inspired electronics are no coincidence – the band have created a custom Gameboy game which features on their music video for Zenith II: Arcadia. It’s playable too! If you feel like taking a trip down nostalgia lane, you can play it here.
The many nuances of each song give each track a beautifully unique flavour, although all recognisable as Arcaeon. There are thematic links such as tone and synth effects that link the tracks. The influences are clear throughout; the previously mentioned Periphery sound is easily identified throughout, and Intervals & Devin Townsend inspiration really shows itself on An Endless Sky. I certainly wouldn’t go so far to say it’s unoriginal, but they definitely took existing sounds as a framework and built something their own, taking the best pieces of each artist and framing it in a new and frenetic context.
Cascadence is a hugely fun album that after any fan of progressive metal listens to it, they will not want to switch to something else for a while. The vocals are incredibly impressive and the production values are consistently tight. The riffs are creative and the skills displayed by all members of the band have their chance to shine. I find with albums as busy as this, at times it can become too much and ear fatigue can kick in. Considering this is a self-released album, the engineering and technical aspect is nothing short of praise-worthy. Arcaeon have already got festivals like Tech-Fest ticked off their to-do list without an album so I hope and expect Cascadence to propel Arcaeon into progressive metal stardom.
(4.5 / 5)
