ITP REVIEW: ARKAIK: REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE

BAND: ARKAIK (RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA-USA) GENRE: TECHNICAL DEATH METAL LABEL: UNIQUE LEADER RELEASE DATE: 1/26/2010
PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): EXISTENTIAL CHAOS (2007-DEMO), THE DIVINE MANIFESTATION (2006-EP-DEMO)
BEST RELEASE: REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE (2010)
TRACKLISTING: ARKAIK: REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE:

1.	The Transcendent Spectral Path	01:18
2.	Reflections Within Dissonance	04:48
3.	Paradigm	04:27
4.	Obscured Luminosity	03:39
5.	Womb Of Perception	04:52
6.	The Divine Manifestation	04:43
7.	Malignant Ignorance	03:47
8.	Elemental Synthesis	03:29
9.	Elegy for the Disillusioned	04:38
10.	Face Of Regression	04:45

ITP RATING: ***
PRODUCTION: ***

SONGWRITING: **1/2

PERFORMANCE: ****
Founded in 2004, ARKAIK are a technical death metal band from Riverside, California (USA) whom are known to combine brutal death metal, with mighty grooves, and tasty, off kilter, technical riffing.
Recently signed to UNIQUE LEADER RECORDS, ARKAIK are establishing themselves in the death metal scene as a whirlwind of technical/brutal wizardry.
So here we have ARKAIK's label debut, "REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE" on deck to review.
ARKAIK's "REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE" kicks off with the instrumental opener "The Transcendent Spectral Path" backwards masking, into a crushing, pompous intro and segueing into the title track "Reflections Within Dissonance".
The title track of "Reflections Within Dissonance" kicks off with typical death metal groove,
vocal phrasing and solos reminiscent of Muhammad of NECROPHAGIST, quite generic riffs
if you ask me. However, if you really listen, ARKAIK display some exquisite musicianship
despite the repetitiveness of the riffs, as fitting the square peg in the round whole of generic wankery doesn't do it for me.
"Paradigm" fares better, as ARKAIK play tight and technical as riffs blaze by faster than toes on coals. Craig Peters vocal phrasing is consolidated within the riffs, for a dark, atmosphere, as so many riffs are consolidated into a very tight, void of nothingness, the riffs just blaze by, but make no sense in the context of cramming all those riffs into one song. Song? My head is spinning.
"Obscured Luminosity" dives into brutal tech, as again, the ARKAIK's exquisite musicianship will undoubtedly turn some heads as the band is tight. Honestly, no one will remember these riffs, a shame really, ARKAIK are ungodly musicians whom play tighter than a bitches cunt.
However, do listen to ARKAIK's "Paradigm" MORE THAN ONCE, as the riffs leave a trailblazing smoke enough to rewind and ask:" Wha?, these guys just crammed 70 riffs into one song :jaw drops:, and if you can remember just ONE riff, someone would have to take notes.
The drum production (drummer Keith Royland) is given the typical "triggered" treatment and doesn't sound organic at all.
"Womb Of Perception" kicks off brutal, fast and very technical with opening sweeps
before the composition breaks downs with a vocal segues. I've just figured, that ARKAIK's guitarists (Chance Strickland and Craig Peters) chug along with variations and ungodly speeds, and cram a few more riffs in,( ok alot more riffs), in, a vertigo of riffage consolidated with brutality, but nothing memorable.
"The Divine Manifestation", enters at a brutal pace, with a defined riff a rola and kick ass musicianship, played tight in the slam death metal tradition. "The Divine Manifestation" slows down mid song for some generic breakdowns, as the song ends with a surreal sample/backwards masking vocal.
"Malignant Ignorance" is more technical brutality, with short choppy riffs that never pan out, although there are some good solos featured in this tune, drowned out in the technical mess. "Malignant Ignorance" is yawn fest of mindless wankery from some really talented musicians ..
I feel bad saying this, ARKAIK are insanely talented but the riffs go NO where, as the riffs start and morph into some non sensible, technical wankery.
"Elemental Synthesis" is more of the same, fucking awesome, progressive technical musicianship, and I just forgot the song, half way through, as the riffs don't meld into anything cohesive due to lack of repetitiveness or any substance.
"Elegy for the Disillusioned" has some quality writing and excellent blastbeats, as the song picks up a dark, hymn of vocal melodies (ORIGIN vocal patterns?) intertwined with awesome rhythm guitar. At 2:33 "Elegy for the Disillusioned" twists in to a prog jam out with typical slam grooves, still catchy enough to lend and ear. Mucho better tune, and way more cohesive than the last few.
ARKAIK's "REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE" closes with "Face Of Regression" as the tune, FINALLY, combines a dark atmosphere with technical mind bending riffs, sick slam grooves, death and screamed vocal trade offs, good solos, and yes, this be the shit, and get your ass layed out in the pit, oh the brutality.
..........That last song had better knocked me on my ass, as I was frustrated at the lack of cohesion and quality riffs.
Again, ARKAIK are insanely talented musicians. Then again, there is NO need to cram 70 riffs into an incohesive song, as the riffs, seem to be senseless, no variety, boring me to tears. ITP NEVER does this, but I will repeat myself: Many of ARKAIK's riffs are consolidated into a very tight, void of nothingness, the riffs just blaze by, but make no sense in the context of cramming all those riffs into one song. Song? My head is spinning. Honestly, no one will remember these riffs, a shame really, ARKAIK are ungodly musicians whom play tighter than a bitches cunt.
However, do listen to ARKAIK's "REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE" MORE THAN ONCE, as the riffs leave a trailblazing smoke enough to rewind and ask:" Wha?, these guys just crammed 70 riffs into one song :jaw drops:, and if you can remember just ONE riff, someone would have to take notes.
Ever write a sentence like this: gjka-apsmdkdpdpd, as it amounts to nothing cohesive to the frustration of the reader. Unfortunately, ARKAIK's approach to technical/progressive death metal is just the same, in-cohesive wankery played very tight, and on occasion, this band can combine brutality with unique, technical musicianship and the slam grooves will flatten any mosher.
ARKAIK's "REFLECTIONS WITHIN DISSONANCE" is a release that you hand to a friend simply for the "Can ya play that?" challenge, just for the musicianship. When you find pieces of your friends guitar on the floor, as he screams in anguish, tears streaming down his face in frustration. You can officially say to your friend, "You suck" and ARKAIK wins on that brutal note.
When, ARKAIK tighten up the riff and songwriting, it will be said that "We FAIL, and ARKAIK own".
ITP RATING: ***
PRODUCTION: ***

SONGWRITING: **1/2

PERFORMANCE: ****
Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-