The Arcane Order

The Machinery of Oblivion

Written by: AP on 23/07/2006 20:54:01

With Hatesphere leading the way, the Danish metal music industry is finally receiving the kind of international exposure it deserves. The Arcane Order, previously known as Scavenger, contributes their touch to the growing scene with a blend of melodic thrash, death metal and hardcore with their debut album, “The Machinery of Oblivion”.

The merciless first chords of “Infinite Ghost Anathema”, a song that never seizes to maintain the dark undertone that its title requires, immediately define the quartet’s style. Kasper Thomsen boasts a wide vocal variety, ranging from Darkest Hour-style screams to Soilwork’s agony to As We Fight’s deep, obscure growls. The inclusion of just one guitar usually suggests less complex melodies and more of the typical low power chords inherent to hardcore, but the ghastly voices that occasionally whisper from underneath the riffs and the mixing of electronic sounds ensure that the song is both complex and compelling. “The Superior Collision", track number two, is clearly the song that the band hopes to define its' debut album with. It exposes Kasper’s full vocal abilities, features a melodic and complex chorus and catchy riffs. If played this song without knowing who was playing it, I would confidently claim that it was Soilwork; such is the similarity to the aforementioned band’s “Asylum Dance”, and the next track, “In a Hail of Deadly Bullets” does nothing to shake this similitude. In fact, each song brings to mind that "some other band you've heard", which is where the album fails.

While “The Machinery of Oblivion” is an excellent debut from a reborn band, its potential is crippled by its failure to discover uniquity. The problem is that if heard on the radio, for instance, one could not say “Hey! This sounds is The Arcane Order!”, because the band doesn’t sound like itself, as strange as it may seem; each song is inspired by a different band of the same genre, giving “The Machinery of Oblivion” the atmosphere of a hardcore cover album.

The band is, however, worth keeping an eye on in the future, as it is clearly in the process of defining its own identity, and the superior sound quality alone is enough to inspire some interest.

7

Download: The Superior Collision, In A Hail of Deadly Bullets
For the fans of: Soilwork, Darkest Hour, Hatesphere
Listen: Myspace

Release date 14.08.2006
Metal Blade
Provided by Target ApS

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