Album Review: Archaic Thorn - Malicious Spears
Reviewed by Sam Jones
With the much awaited Spooky Season round the corner, Archaic Thorn are a perfect act to gaze upon as they seek to release Malicious Spears for October 31st. Forming in 2010 out of Saxony, Germany, the band’s first Demo, Hydra Throats, dropped in 2013, before following it up with their first EP, 2015’s In Desolate Magnificence, though it would be years before they’d finally unleash their debut full length: 2020’s Eradication, which saw them signed on to Darkness Shall Rise Productions. Another five years on and Archaic Thorn are at last back with their sophomore studio album, this time with High Roller Records, and that cherished Halloween release date in mind. Drawing me in with artwork by Australian artist Rok whose work featured and became synonymous with his own band, Sadistik Exekution, I was more than enticed to see what would be offered within.
The production given to this record is exemplary. Whilst listening I not only found myself capable of digesting every piece of the band’s instrumentation and vocals with ease, but I acknowledged how crisp and razor-sharp such performances felt conveyed to me. This isn’t a record where everything feels chopped to pieces and then smashed together; such records may benefit from the chaos that belligerent production lends yet that’s evidently not what Archaic Thorn intended. They know every turn their record will take and thus ensure your attention is consistently swivelled in the direction it needs to be, for like a conductor they indicate that Now there’ll be blast beats or Now the vocals will climb noticeably. Malicious Spears may have death on its mind but that doesn’t negate it from carefully planning its songwriting, signifying crucial instances where audiences will be directed towards the juiciest parts of the band’s performance. Such a polished record also allows the band to go absolutely nuts without losing residual power, whenever i heard a riff i liked i felt i was receiving the equivalent strength on record as it was performed whilst recording. In that respect its a rather organically sounding record as there’s little determining studio tweaking within the mix.
Archaic Thorn don’t take long to show their audience there’s nothing to worry about. Especially if you’re a newcomer. The band possess an adept understanding of tempo and though one comes to Malicious Spears anticipating the bloodied carnage of death metal, its great to find these guys don’t rest on their laurels and just throw frantic tempo for its own sake. There are sections where the songwriting is purposefully slower, perhaps employing the drums or a steadier riff to generate encroaching, sinister atmosphere, yet you’ll feel gathering tempo behind its methodical sound, knowing things are set to blow soon. In fact, throughout the band’s faster periods they exhibit a remarkable control on their pace; there’s never a time where they feel unable to restrain their momentum should the songwriting require it, like placing their sound in chains Archaic Thorn have incredible grasp upon their sound and thus know they may point it wherever they please. But while speed is their forte, the nature of their chunky riffs means you always have an understanding of how the riff feels, how its shaped, giving more form towards the respective song other than some formless slate of noise.
If nothing else Archaic Thorn are committed towards writing death metal that’s seeking you out. Though they incorporate unexpected symphonic elements, the crux of Archaic Thorn’s sound is rooted in grounded guitar attacks that sees the riff strongly defined and placed before an audience eager to be heard. Its been a hot minute since a band’s sound felt so undiluted, so unconcerned with all else bar what they can throw at their audience. There's little nuance suggesting development of higher ideals or concepts capable of raising your IQ, Archaic Thorn are solely focused on raining a profoundly raw death metal onslaught on your face and how your visage may look afterwards is not their problem. However its not the kind of album that’s bellowing in your face or laughing beyond reason, nothing juvenile of the sort; one gets the idea Archaic Thorn are seasoned musicians and writers that know the most feared, and reviled, dangers in society are wrapped in trained calm. This therefore bleeds into the production and their performance therein, where their restraint not to lose all sanity solidifies the danger one find themselves in. Like the artwork depicts, Archaic Thorn know that they know how to write music that kills, which only intensifies the horror one must feel standing before them.
The drums are excellent throughout each track, providing a unique stance each time the record progresses. I respect that Archaic Thorn haven’t just replicated blast beats at every conceivable moment and have seen to it they can be easily heard, all the while the riffs are going to town. Its entirely dependent on the songwriting, but since the drums aren’t looking to tear your head off all the time it means the overall tone isn’t as crushing as other records opt to be. If anything I'd say the drums enact their most ferocious sections only once each track, the rest of the drum track is conventional otherwise or makes us of straightforward albeit erratic patterns. With that said i think its for the best as saving the best of the drumming for specific moments gives such occasions the sense that we, and the band, have earned the right to them. Whether they be bass drums, blast beats or even gravity blasts, the drums are imparting at least one highly memorable part to each track, thereby taking sole attention away from the guitar, giving us reason to zoom out and behold the band in its entirety.
In conclusion, Malicious Spears may be a record that offers little new however that doesn’t prevent it from delivering excellent quality music. Archaic Thorn are living proof you don’t need to do anything overtly special to get an audience on your side; well written death metal that feels as biting as the band convey it as, that’s all it takes, yet its easier said than done. Each track may be around six or more minutes but Archaic Thorn see this time race us by and with the most straightforward riffs and collective songwriting you’ll hear for a while. Though Malicious Spears, upon the surface, bears little distinguishing itself from its contemporaries, its inner material is well worth your attention as they provide performances that will have you bouncing each knee replicating bass drums or matching your headbanging to every strum of the chords. The band’s command on tempo and by consequence, the pacing, means you’ll never be wanting for something different or to move on from where you are, as Malicious Spears is forever working in the moment. There's never a time where the band feel to cementing some foundation for an upcoming bit, its all about what they can do in the here and now and why such songwriting should have you coming back for another round. More than anything though Malicious Spears deserves to be the record that blows the awareness of Archaic Thorn wide open as these guys know how to write amazing death metal without engaging in easy, lazy tactics to get an audience behind them. I for one know I'll be back.
