CD Review: Spiral Architect – “A Sceptic’s Universe”

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CD Review

This review was originally written by Jose Bernardo for www.theweeklyriff.com between 2008 and 2010.

These were Jose’s first impressions of the songs and were not written after multiple spins.

Artist: Sprial Architect
Album: A Sceptic’s Universe (1999 Sensory Records)
Tracks: 10

Artist website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_Architect

OVERVIEW

Spiral Architect (pause for dramatic effect) leaves a listener absolutely speechless. This is quite possibly the most technically demanding music ever written in the progressive metal world. Not even Dream Theater get this technical!

I am still trying to wrap my brain around this music. This album was released in 1999 in Japan and 2000 in the rest of the world. Nothing (pause for dramatic effect) comes even close before it or after it. (…and I though King Crimson was pretty darn technical and out there)

Mind you, progressive metal is technical and it’s not like the other progmetal bands are slacking off. But everyone else does what Spiral Architect does only in small spurts. Spiral Architect’s techinical prowess is on display through whole songs! It’s almost as if they do not posses an “off” switch.

The long silence of this Norwegian quintet has me very worried that we will never see a follow up from these guys. After all, their newest album was released almost a decade ago!

If you’re not afraid of technical music, you need this in your CD collection.

HIGHLIGHTS:

The musicianship (period)

PLAY BY PLAY

Track 1 – Spinning
Whoa! I feel a bit dizzy after that. There are just so many things going on, but it’s an awesome kind of dizzy!

Track 2 – Excessit
I can’t even begin to describe this one. My mind is still trying to understand what it just listened to!

Track 3 – Moving Spirit
This has a really interesting groove to it.

Track 4 – Occam’s Razor
Cool, short track. 

Track 5 – Insect
Amazing!

Track 6 – Cloud Constructor
Meh – this is a really bad attempt at a ballad. Sorry. However, the really awesome instrumental part at the end more than makes up for the sluggish start to this track.

Track 7 – Conjuring Collapse
I am not going to pretend I got all that in one listen. Wow!

Track 8 – Adaptability
Speechless…

Track 9 – Fountainhead
This track was very interesting. It breathed more than the other tracks on this album. 

Track 10 – Prelude To Ruin (Japanese Bonus Track)
After a slow start, this song just opens up to become a massive demonstration of notes. A lot of them. Pretty intro though…

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Posted in CD Reviews, The Weekly Riff (2008-2010) Reprinted.