Architects Return To Form With Fury And Fire With ‘The Sky, The Earth & All Between’

Brighton based metalcore staples Architects have returned with their eleventh studio album, in ‘The Sky, The Earth & All Between’. This marks their first full-length since 2022’s ‘The Classic Symptoms of a Broken Spirit’. This record dives into a lot of the sound of what makes this band special once more, partly thanks to new producer Jordan Fish (formerly of Bring Me the Horizon). It’s a testament of why this band are still the faces of modern metalcore, and they still stand above their peers time and time again.

The record opens with “Elegy”, and it really sets the tone for the album in a great way. I instantly get ERRA vibes right off the bat, before going super saiyan after the first chorus. The chorus feels very inspired and a good example of this band remembering who they are and what makes them special. It contains a pretty solid breakdown near the end, before ending on a soft note which I thought was a pretty nice touch.

We jump to the third single off the record and continue with such energy in “Whiplash”. I definitely think this one is an example of the band tapping into the more modern metalcore sound, with their spin on it as well. It’s just really nice seeing them embrace the fire in them with a song like this, and this album really. I also appreciate the second verse throwing me for a loop in a pretty neat way. It’s got a very solid breakdown, meant to go off particularly in a live setting. The ending breakdown caught me off guard as well, and the Gordon Ramsay bit at the end was a funny little thing to include.

We then jump to one of the other singles, with “Blackhole”. The guitar parts delivered here by guitarist Adam Christianson feel especially punchy and effective on first listen. This chorus once again feels like it could’ve been written by them at their peak from back in the day. Vocalist Sam Carter has really made great use of his newly found low screaming and incorporate them especially well on a song like this, mixed with his normal screams. Ending on a particularly heavy note here was also pretty wonderful to hear.

We’re followed by yet another single, and one of the more melodic tracks with “Everything Ends”. This track definitely can hear Sam have some influence vocally from Oliver Sykes, of Bring Me the Horizon. I really think the Jordan Fish production shines especially on a song like this, with a fun pop-leaning chorus and isn’t afraid to show some variety on this record. It makes total sense why this was one of the singles, as it has the catchiness to partly represent the album.

We pick up the energy in a huge way, with another single in “Brain Dead”. This track brings a lot more punk energy, and the usual Architects sound mixed in as well. The chorus also feels very fitting and fun for a song like this, I can also see this going off especially well live. House of Protection‘s feature on this is well utilized, as you can feel their influence on this song as a whole. I just love how nonstop energy this song feels, from the moment it starts until it ends. Plus, that ending breakdown is awesome and this makes for one of the highlights off this record.

We’re followed by another highlight for me, with “Evil Eyes”. The chorus on this one feels like a great example of what Jordan Fish can bring out of this band, even on their eleventh album. It’s just a great mix of both heavy and melodic in the best ways, and a good balance too. It contains a really great bridge as well, and Sam really kills it here on vocals. I can absolutely see this song sounding insane in a live setting, with production and arena echos.

We’re followed up with “Landmines”, which also showcase this band doing old and new sounds together in a track like this. The instrumentals and melodies here do remind me of the Poppy album from last year, also produced by Fish. I also think this really reminds me of Make Them Suffer and how they approach their songs nowadays, with the heavy mixed with electronic elements. But it makes for one of the more catchier tracks on the whole record, and it’s cool to have a song like this in the middle of the album.

We add another feature to the record in “Judgment Day”, with Amira Elfeky‘s vocals sounding great mixed with Sam‘s on a song like this. This probably makes for one of the more out there tracks on this album, as it approaches it from a more industrial metal angle. The riffs, the chorus, and how it comes across really feel that way. And it definitely makes for an effective breakdown with the buildup and it fitting in a song like this.

We’re on the last stretch of the record, starting with “Broken Mirror”. This one feels the most Octane type song on this album, from the chorus to even the breakdown. It’s sure to thrive in arenas and meant to appeal to the mainstream. It feels very inspired by the current era of the genre, and it doesn’t stand out particularly for me in comparison to the rest of album.

We’re followed by one of my favorite tracks on the album and second single, with “Curse”. This was the first track produced by Fish and it was a real indication of their collaboration being one for the books. It’s got one of their best choruses period, feeling so catchy and easy to get stuck in your head. I also love how bouncy the verses feel with this kind of production, and it makes for a great live song as well. It makes for an easy highlight off this record and feels right at home here.

We jump to the penultimate track and first single from the record, with “Seeing Red”. It’s got another awesome chorus, as it also mixes old and new eras of this band pretty well. It feels a little out of place with the rest of the album, as it lyrically dives into their frustrations with fans demanding their heavy sound. It’s also believed this is the only track not produced by Fish, and it shows a bit. Nevertheless, it’s still a good song and makes for a good single as well.

We close off the album with “Chandelier” and I just love the pop vibes we get right off the bat on the vocals. The drums here delivered by Dan Searle are especially a standout, especially on a song like this. This gives me such modern Linkin Park vibes, all throughout in the best ways. I also think this song is another showcase of how much Sam has grown as a vocalist throughout the career of this band. I especially enjoy the one last breakdown we get at the end here, followed by a soft outro.

All in all, I think Architects have delivered a very solid addition to their ever-growing discography with ‘The Sky, The Earth & All Between’. It’s an absolute return to form, as well as a marked improvement over their last couple of records. It really taps into what has made them special for a majority of their career, but also moving forward with a newfound sound that mixes new and old sounds for this brand new era.