Style: djent (mixed vocals)
Review by: Josh
Country: US-CA
Release date: 21-08-2020
Out of all the djent solo projects out there, Archaeologist is one of the few that I regularly keep tabs on. I originally met the guy in a Discord chat of all places, where I was directed to his Odysseys EP, a great piece of instrumental djent in the vein of Plini. Later on, he dropped the twelve-minute-long track Winter’s Wake, which is what took me from fan to Stan. It took me a few listens, but it’s now one of my favorite songs of 2019. It showed off a side of his musicianship that was nothing like Odysseys, this time a cinematic, expansive djent sound the likes of which I’ve rarely if ever heard. I hadn’t heard his previous material, so I was excited for this release despite it not being anything new.
The Vol. II EP takes on a more traditional approach to djent, with, as one might expect, metalcore influences sprinkled in. The riffage is solid, but often times it fails to stand out amidst a sea of similar releases. A few riffs feel distinctly Archaeologist, but far more could’ve been played by just about any other djent group out there. They’re not bad (some are quite good actually) but they lack a pull, sometimes feeling like they’ve been played before even if they haven’t been heard yet at all. The same goes for the other instrumentals. As for the vocals, Schaefer is clearly quite skilled, reminding me of a slightly deeper-voiced Spencer Sotelo with his cleans. His harshes leave a bit to be desired, but they’re in the vein of what most metalcore-y djent listeners tend to enjoy. Nothing to write home about, but overall they’re solid.
While Vol. II feels derivative, it’s still a fun listen. It does have its fair share of standout moments too, my favorite of which being the DragonForce-esque solo section near the end of “Aggressor”. The quality of the music itself is also quite good. It’s just nothing that hasn’t been done before. I hate to write this little about a release, but there isn’t much else to say on this one. If you want some competently played, straightforward djent, check this out, but I’d recommend Archaeologist‘s other releases before Vol. II.
Recommended tracks: Aggressor, The Void, Unforgiving Skies
Recommended for fans of: Periphery, Monuments, dj0nts
Final verdict: 6/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | twitch.tv | RateYourMusic
Label: Independent
Archaeologist is:
– Kyle Schaefer (vocals/instrumentals)
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