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Becoming The Archetype - Dichotomy

If you were able to amalgamate just about every popular extreme music subgenre into one God-fearin'...

Rating: 6

If you were able to amalgamate just about every popular extreme music subgenre into one God-fearin', prostrating-at-the-gates-of-heaven pot without the clunky and clumsy transitions that often see bands blatantly taking 'momentary influence' from band x, then detaching and moving to 'grabbing' from band y, before stealing outright from band z and calling it songwriting, you'd have Dichotomy in a nutshell. The main riffs to Mountain Of Souls, Artificial Immortality and Ransom sound like they could've come from the creative well springs of (or maybe a 30-man jam session featuring) Emperor, Between The Buried And Me, Exodus, Carcass, Arch Enemy or Strapping Young Lad - or at least a host of second division bands influenced by them, because even though this Georgia-based outfit has developed a comparatively unique sound via their skill with synthesis, what they do lack is organic warmth and the sense that you're listening to a rollicking, dangerous, metallic juggernaut. A track like Evil Unseen has the sound, but lacks the angry warmth and bristling energy to energise the jaded and those already suspicious of their religiosity. C'mon, Fenriz would never stand for a song titled How Great Thou Art not written about either Satan or his record collection.

Kevin Stewart-Panko