It’s always a good sign that you’re going to like a release when the music grabs you right away and that’s exactly what Archetype have achieved with their brand new mini-album The Descendent. Purely instrumental music can be a little hit-or-miss at times; it takes a skilful writer to captivate and engage a listener when there’s no vocals to fixate on, whilst also ensuring the music doesn’t sound repetitive, and Archetype have excelled in all areas. Quite simply, The Descendent absolutely rules.
One of the best things about The Descendent is that it plays as a well-established and ‘together’ release, despite the fact that the band was only founded about a year ago – it’s almost like this is an offering from a band that has been together for years rather than months and that’s no mean feat in itself. From the triumphant opening of Prototype, that sets the pace well whilst also setting the scene for what’s to come, right through to the powerful ending of Penultimate, a headbangingly good track that will have you coming back for more as soon as it comes to a very abrupt end.
The songs as a whole are just masterfully constructed, with little ideas interwoven into each track to give them their own identity, whilst simultaneously linking each of the six tracks together to form a bigger picture, making The Descendent a joy to listen as a result. Each of the songs brings something different to the table, and it just works.
All in all, The Descendent is a fantastic listen – the only problem with it is that it leaves you wanting more! But that’s what a full-length album is for, right?
9.5/10
