The Reckoning

It’s hard to believe Arise first activated back in 1994. That’s a long time for any extreme metal band to survive the harsh winds of obscurity, but perhaps while other groups applied a progressive agenda, Arise did not. Instead, “The Reckoning” gives a halfhearted representation of what never was, demonstrating the phlegmatic death metal of Arise’s legacy that just couldn’t emerge back then and even now; it’s another effort fanaticizing the age-old trend of elementary metal cooked for the masses. Throughout “The Reckoning” however, there’s an absolute vacuum cycling the same style endlessly, and perhaps that’s the void of Arise: it’s just there, bringing and contributing nothing but popular opinion.

Overall, it is quite easy to realize “The Reckoning” is almost an equation demonstrating dullness above concrete ideas. All ten cuts revolve around what you’d expect when discussing today’s super-cool death metal bands: uninspired riffs that are incredibly generic and watered-down, lots of melodic touches, repetition like they’re getting paid for it, and song structures a child could manufacture. These patterns impact the percussion rather noticeably, causing the drums to struggle behind Arise’s bastardized sub-par death metal/melodic death statement with no worthwhile moments, cramped fills, and insufficient qualities overall. “The Reckoning” isn’t a devastating flop musically, but it’s so unbelievably daft that it very well might be easily forgotten in time’s infinite vault of generic bands that, like Arise, are just there…lingering without meaning. You know how many groups provide substance when exercising this style? Very few, and Arise isn’t in the special minority that escapes with a smiley-face stamp.

I am pretty fond of Patsy’s vocals though, as he, unlike his backing musicians, appears slightly interesting from his shout-based texture, although we often see him going overboard when the common usage of double-tracked vocals. And that’s another thing that grinds my gears: the production. Every instrument is polished with digital perfection to the point where the whole CD just sounds illusive, but that’s just fuel for the fire when embracing the mainstream edge, I suppose. The only anthem that truly omits etiquette is the opener “Adrenaline Rush,” yet that sole example still needs a good lesson in Originality 101, or perhaps some tutoring from Mr. Death Metal. Either way, this album remains incredibly deserted at all times; minimalistic and tepid, “The Reckoning” achieves nothing of importance regardless of taste in these metallic kitchens.

Ten songs, forty minutes of music, and one accurate observation can nail this puppy on the money: the carbon copy of modernized death metal rules “The Reckoning” with an iron fist, allowing no individualism to prosper or even struggle for survival. Instead, the norm is once again pursued beneath Arise’s watery exhibition of humdrum death metal glorifying production, simplicity, and the mainstream while ignoring the usual items found in hearty extremism, and Arise makes camp in these surroundings without questioning. Why? Perhaps doing so will finally trigger the group into a net of popularity, or maybe perform some unsung action that’ll give credibility to Arise’s withheld alias. Either way, this is no anomaly, that’s for sure.

This review was written for: www.Thrashpit.com