I have to kick this one off with an apology to Calum and the band. They gave me a massive heads up and lead time, and I thought I’d leave the review to a little closer to the release date… then “real life” stepped in front of me and I’ve been run ragged to the point that I just noticed that Arc was released last week. However, that’s not going to stop me throwing some words at you about the Dumfries-based band’s latest release. It’s still fresh!
I can’t believe it’s been six years since Origins and Endings, during which time I’ve seen the guys blast away crowds at Wildfire and a Bloodstock Metal 2 the Masses final. Similarly to that last album, Arc opens with a prog-like instrumental number and now just a 90 second token scene-setter either. “Luna” is a full four minutes of ethereal, keys-based atmosphere that builds up to the first singy/shouty number “Enter the Labyrinth”.
This one doesn’t hold back and begins with a flurry, those keys now stabbing rather than lilting and emphasising the catchy riff and rattling rhythm. The twin vocals are very much present, bouncing from melodic to harsh and pairing well. Enjoy the song and play “spot the video game” in the video down below!
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“Cursebreaker” bounces back and forth between guitar flurries, keyboard breaks and both melodic and harder metal segments. There are some off-kilter proggy sections and the whole thing just lives by its own rules. It really gives every member of the band a chance to shine, like a jam session where each is given their shot at the front of the stage. “Inferno” is a much gentler track than you’d expect from the name, coming across like a Satriani number early on, and then walloping in some synths and harmonies around the 4 minute mark to sound like someone had left open the door marked “The 1980s” in the recording studio.
“Light Pillars” was revealed with a beautiful video the other day, and it’s definitely the most chilled song on the album. If prog metal bands did a mandatory per-album ballad, this would be it. Of course, it’s just suckering you in so that “Teraflare” can rip your face off and shit down your neck. By far the heaviest song on the album, this is one destined for the live show if there is any justice in the world. Clean vocals? Nah, we just have high and low-end screams in this monster.
Turbyne have really brought the prog to the fore with Arc, and this shows in both the music itself and the track lengths. The shorter tracks are around four minutes, but we have the majority around 6-8 minutes and the behemoth that is “Atlas Road” clocking in at almost 11 minutes alongside its equally big brother “Mythos – Dark Aeons” which is even longer (if only by two seconds, but you know what twins are like arguing over who was born just before the other).
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Like the “Cursebreaker” / “Inferno” pairing covered earlier, the only thing linking these two songs in of overall feel is the length. “Mythos” is dark and heavy as its name may suggest, whereas “Atlas Road” brings forth that 80s feel again, opening like DragonForce lite and flowing into Huey Lewis (and I absolutely do not mean that as a negative point). While the album midpoint is deep and growly, it ends with flair, ion and light.
Tagged onto the end of the release are the 7 “songs” in instrumental format. It’s testament to the writing that they are every bit as powerful sans vocals and are well worth playing and not just treated as “something extra in the bottom of the box”.
If I had to sum up Arc in a word, I’d go with “mature”. Possibly also ambitious, but the maturity shows in pulling that ambition off. The musicianship is staggering, the songwriting wildly varied yet reigned in and the production just about nails it (I think the vocals could pop more in “Labyrinth”). It’s on Bandcamp so you’ve no excuse not to give it a listen before chucking cash at the guys.
Oh, and I love the cover artwork!
Arc is out now via Bandcamp
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