Architects - The Sky, The Earth & All Between (Album Review)
Friday, 07 March 2025
Written by Matthew McLister
Photo: Ed Mason
Alongside Bring Me The Horizon and Enter Shikari, Architects have long held a position at the very top of the UK metal scene. From their churning metalcore beginnings through to their progressive, pop-leaning present, they have kept things fresh and heavy for more than two decades now.
Duly, their 11th album ‘The Sky, The Earth and All Between’ is another breathless assault on the senses, matching aggressive metal energy with electro elements and soaring hooks to remain on the accessible side of things for those not usually in tune with this style of music.
Elegy is quite the attention-grabbing opener. To begin, an ominous riff presents an atmospheric backdrop, matched by Sam Carter’s emotive, love-torn singing.
What arrives next is a combination of breakneck screaming and thunderous riffage to place us firmly on the edge of our seats.
The explosive Whiplash follows, exploring tribalism and our inability to get along with people of a different opinion over as soaring a chorus as you’ll find here. “Welcome here in the crowd, ‘cause we’re safe and we’re sound,” Carter spits. “But who gives a fuck unless you’re one of us?”
Later, an injection of industrial grit and a guest spot by vocalist Amira Elfeky turns Judgement Day into another crunching second half highlight. Broken Mirror flips the script, offering a heartfelt and chest-thumping move into stadium-rock territory with Carter’s pristine vocals front and centre.
If we were to be in any way critical of ‘The Sky, The Earth and All Between’ it’d be that a harsher edit would’ve ensured a more coherent listen, better balancing the band’s competing influences. But, overall, this is another winner from a very reliable band. It is the perfect mix of anger and sensitivity but, most importantly, it’s a lot of fun.
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