I discovered this album through a recommended playlist from Apple Music. They put the song "Matter" by Arcane Roots near the end, and I'm glad I was paying attention when I got to that track. I ended up checking out and downloading the entirety of their latest album, Melancholia Hymns. It's a perfect blend of so many genres -metal, indie, alternative, electronic, and pop. They have moments of raw aggression, ethereal bliss, and everything in-between. It never feels like it's reaching too far or mixing too much at the same time. It's a very natural fusion of different elements that creates an incredibly unique sound and experience.
The album opens with "Before Me", which feels a lot like something Sigur Ros would do. The slow build, the subtle addition of various instruments until the song finally erupts with drums crashing, synths blaring, and (what I soon discovered to be a staple) gang vocals all fading out to just a few synths and more subdued, electronic drums.
"Matter", the song that hooked me, comes in next with a very different, more minor feel to it (similar to Anberlin, but a bit heavier and less structured). The harmonies on the vocals in the beginning are captivating, hooking you right before the drums and guitars come in with a very urgent feel to them before exploding into a high velocity, raw section that's absolutely awe-inspiring. It shows off the metal side of the band, shifting into a bit of a breakdown at about the 3:15 minute mark where the band shows off their technical and speed skills as lead singer Andrew Groves screams over the thunderous drums and roaring guitars. The song ends with a very different outro, consisting of synths and an electric drum machine that still captures the aggressive feelings conveyed just moments before in a total different setting.
"Indigo" has more pop sensibilities to it, from the opening vocal lines; it's another sharp turn, but the kind that makes you scream with delight at the thrills you're experiencing of piercing, layered 80's synths and drums that back up the soaring vocals from Groves. Shifting later into a triangle (yes, a triangle part), lead guitar, and echoing toms build with a repeated vocal line of "Just say the word, I'll go, if that's what you're saying" that is eventually joined by more synths and a rhythm guitar that create an incredible moment. The song then shifts again, the driving force being piano and vocals until a distorted synth line gives the outro a soaring sensation.
The transitions are incredibly smooth, shifting from calm and sweeping sounds to more aggressive and defined moments without the slightest of hiccups. An excellent example of this is "Off The Floor", which starts as just vocals and a finger-picked acoustic guitar line for about the first minute. Within an instant, however, the drums kick in and the electric guitar joins the acoustic to alter the vibe of the song without making the listener uncomfortable. It soon becomes a more melodic metal song, with the vocals switching from soft and elongated to almost shouting over the double bass pedal hits and distorted guitar lines.
"Curtains" has a haunting sense to it, Groves feeling very melancholy with his vocals as he takes the main spotlight for the first two minutes with minimal instrumental interruptions. That is, until a distorted synth line takes over and twists the song from haunting to more celestial. The song eventual explodes into a full instrumental, the usual synths and drums joined by a string line that adds to the epic nature of the song. The metal comes out again, with Groves giving guttural screams over gritty guitars and absolutely tight, driving drums. The outro shifts back to electronic, but randomized in such a way that it makes the listener a bit uneasy. It's best to be careful listening to this song as it transitions into "Solemn", which begins with an extremely loud and distorted electric guitar chord that immediately sets the tone for the track. There's limited electronic elements present as the drums and guitars battle it out for the entirety of the song as Groves gives some of his more powerful clean vocals on the album. This song feels like rock through and through, one of the few tracks on the album to lack a series of drastic changes (there's one moment of screaming vocals, but it doesn't feel like a shift so much as an accent).
"Arp" begins with a light, bouncing sort of synth line, bringing to mind some sort of futuristic fantasy landscape. Groves' vocals are much more soft than in the previous track, giving the opening section a much more sensitive vibe to it. However, this shifts as the song opens up into something more inspiring as eventually the metal elements are introduced alongside (and somewhat overtaking) the electronic symphony occurring. At 4:23, it's one of the shorter songs on the album, and so fades into the next track, "Fireflies" after the momentary breakdown. "Fireflies" starts somewhat similarly to "Arp" in terms of the presence of electronic elements, although these are less delicate and more striking in their combinations with Groves more earnest vocals. The song continues in this same vein, not ever erupting into something bigger, but also refusing to die to a whisper. It feels somewhat like a transition track (which is not a diss, by any means), especially with the structure feeling a bit loose.
"Everything (All at Once)" is off with a bang from the start, the drums leading the charge this time and soon joined by a very low and brooding bass guitar line. Your head is bobbing along from start to end, between the incredibly fast and precise drumwork, the bass slapping its way along, the electric guitar shredding mightily and Groves' vocals pleading "Take Me" during the choruses. This song hardly lets up for a moment, the only lull coming right before the heaviest moment of the album that's an insane, thrashing, breakdown that leaves you breathless and wanting much, much more. It's the shortest track, but by far leaves one of the biggest impressions.
"Half The World" ends the album with the huge wall of sound you come to expect from Arcane Roots at this point. It's a culmination of all the elements; the synths, the electric guitars, the drums, and vocals all coming together for an arena ready powerhouse of a song that starts high and goes even higher and higher. There's an immense amount of hope in this song, the outro lyrics:
" Darling, I'm afraid
Be yourself when you're full of doubt
Hold on to the reins
Be yourself, and when it's falling down
Listen to the rain
Be yourself when you're calling out
Darling, we're the same
So keep your hands upon the wheel"
It's hard to listen to that part and not be left with a sense of encouragement, whether things are going smoothly or times are tough.
The fact that it's a three piece band that's making a huge wall of sound is even more remarkable. I wasn't planning on doing a detailed, song by song review, but I just couldn't help it as I listened through the album again. I was disappointed to see that there aren't any tour dates in California (let alone in the US), but I'll just have to be on the lookout for the next chance cause I most definitely plan on seeing these guys whenever they do make it over here. Their sound reminds me (as I mentioned earlier) of Sigur Ros and Anberlin; if those two bands had a musical baby and added some metal tendencies, then Arcane Roots would be the prodigy child.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended: "Matter", "Curtains", "Solemn", "Everything (All at Once)"
Related: Anberlin, Sigur Ros
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