Architects

Architects performing live in Germany in 2015. From left to right: guitarist Adam Christianson, bassist Alex Dean, drummer Dan Searle, vocalist Sam Carter and guitarist Tom Searle.

Architects are a British metalcore band from Brighton, England. The band currently consists of vocalist Sam Carter, drummer Dan Searle, bassist Alex Dean and guitarist Adam Christianson. The band's first name was Inharmonic, which was swiftly changed to Counting the Days, and finally to Architects after a couple of years. They have released seven studio albums and one split EP with Dead Swans to date.

They released their debut album Nightmares in 2006 through In at the Deep End records. After the departure of their original vocalist, Matt Johnson, Sam Carter joined the band and made his first appearance on Architects' second album Ruin released in 2007 through United by Fate records. In 2009 the band released Hollow Crown through Century Media records. They then released their fourth album The Here And Now in 2011, which showed the band taking a step in a more melodic "clean-cut post-hardcore" direction.[1] Upon its release the album was well received by critics, but was panned by their fanbase.[2] The next year Architects returned to their original style with their fifth album Daybreaker, which featured more politicised lyrics[3] as opposed to the violent and comedic lyrics prominent throughout their older work.[4] Their sixth album Lost Forever // Lost Together was released in 2014 through Epitaph Records. Their seventh album All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us was released on 27 May 2016, also through Epitaph.

All members of the band are vegan,[5] having turned to veganism after watching several documentaries on the subject.[6][note 1] The band is also a promoter of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, with Carter being one of its British ambassadors.[8] On 20 August 2016, lead guitarist, primary songwriter, keyboardist and founding member Tom Searle died after a three-year battle with skin cancer.[9] The song "C.A.N.C.E.R" on Lost Forever // Lost Together focuses on his dealing with the cancer.[10]

However, the band went on to continue the upcoming tour in Tom's honor, and went on to play in Australia with the popular British metalcore band, Bring Me The Horizon. The future of the band is currently unknown, following Tom's passing.

All of the original members of Architects grew up around Brighton, East Sussex and were very active within the local music scene prior to forming the band. Sam Carter, who was a drummer and studied drums at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music before joining the band, had performed in multiple local bands as a drummer and sometimes a singer; one of these bands had supported Enter Shikari in Brighton.[6]

Architects was founded in 2004 by drummer Dan Searle and his twin brother,[4] guitarist Tom Searle, The project was called "Counting the Days" until it blossomed into what is now known as "Architects" with original vocalist Matt Johnson, guitarist Tim Hillier-Brook and Tim Lucas on bass guitar. In 2006 the band's original bassist, Tim Lucas, decided to leave the band to pursue his academic career. He was replaced by Alex Dean. The band had travelled around the UK on many tours supporting a number of different bands (Beecher, Bring Me the Horizon) in support of their debut album Nightmares. Because of the age of the band members in the early years they had to book weeks of holiday off at college to do tours round the country.[12]

Just six months after the release of Nightmares, Architects original vocalist Matt Johnson left the band. Dan Searle said that after Johnson left the band they all saw Sam Carter performing with other local bands and decided it was an "easy choice".[13] Ali Dean approached Carter while he was at work and had a few band practices.[6] When Carter joined as Architects' new lead vocalist he made his on-stage debut by performing the song "The Darkest Tomb". After this amicable departure, Matt Johnson went on to form the band Whitemare with ex-members of Johnny Truant and Centurion, and also briefly Architects guitarist Tim Hillier-Brook on bass.[14] They released their second album Ruin on 25 June 2007.[15] Despite releasing their dbut album Nightmares the previous year the band felt they have developed as songwriters a lot and wished to release something quicker.[15] Carter felt pressure when writing the lyrics for Ruin as he had a six-week period between joining 'Architects' and going into the studio to record.[16] Dan Searle had commented that Carter drew from more personal experience in his lyrics than their previous singer Johnson.[15] They supported Suicide Silence in 2007 on The Cleansing The Nation Tour in the United States.[8]

In early 2008, they released a Split EP with UK band Dead Swans. The split EP featured two songs from each artist. Architects' contributed: We're All Alone and Broken Clocks. While Dead Swans contributed: In the Half Light and Swallow. The song We're All Alone was later worked into Hollow Crown. The band said that they wanted to do release the album in the effort to show people they are still progressing their style.[13] The split EP was well received by British music press with review scores of 7/10 from Metal Hammer,[17] 8/10 from Rock Sound,[18] A 7.5 was given by Terrorizer for Architects' side of the ep[19] and four "K"s out of 5 from Kerrang!.[20] The release was followed by a double headed tour of the UK.

In May 2008, Architects announced that they had been signed to Century Media Records for a three album deal. Architects became the first British band that Century Media had signed since Napalm Death.[21] Dean stated that the signing was important for the band "to be part of such an established label and it's absolutely sweet that our records are gonna [sic] be out worldwide."[22] Dan Searle described Century Media's support matching "our ambition to push this band as far as we can." The announcement of their signing to Century Media was coupled with the re-release of their second album Ruin globally with the added bonus track Broken Clocks.[23] In November 2008 the band embarked on the Never Say Die! Tour, a European tour with Parkway Drive as the headline act and also support from Unearth, Despised Icon, Protest the Hero, Whitechapel and Carnifex.[24]

On 26 January 2009 Architects made their Century Record dbut with their third studio album Hollow Crown. It was released in the United Kingdom and Australia on 26 January 2009, 10 February in the United States and Canada, 20 February in Continental Europe and 21 February in Japan. The band recorded the album in July 2008 after the announcement of joining Century Media's roster.[23] Dan Searle in interview was asked why the band gave it the title and he stated "depending on who you ask in the band! To me it refers to those people you meet in life that earn nothing, but are given everything."[13] For the initial promotion of the album the band completed a 19 date headline tour of the United Kingdom with support from Misery Signals and A Textbook Tragedy.[25] in early 2009 the band supported Parkway Drive along with August Burns Red on the Parkway Drive: The DVD tour in Australia. In October and November 2009 they headlined the second Never Say Die! Tour United Kingdom dates, whereas Despised Icon headlined the Mainland European dates. The line also included Horse the Band, As Blood Runs Black, Iwrestledabearonce, Oceano and The Ghost Inside.[26] In January 2009 Tom Searle had believed the band had toured across North America and Europe in 17 separate tours.[12]

Architects announced that the first single from the upcoming fourth album, would be entitled Day in Day Out, and was premired on Daniel P. Carter's BBC Radio 1 podcast The Rock Show on 30 August 2010.[27] The band headlined tours of the UK in October 2010 with Norma Jean, Devil Sold His Soul and Lower Than Atlantis supporting and Australia in December with Comeback Kid as co-headliners and This is Hell and Rolo Tomassi supporting.

On 19 January 2011, Architects' fourth album The Here and Now was released. The album was recorded across 2010 from May till June at The Omen Room Studios in California and featured guest vocals from Andrew Neufeld of Comeback Kid and Greg Puciato of The Dillinger Escape Plan.[28] The album was seen as going in a more commercial direction from the rest of the band's work.[29] The album sold 900 copies in the United States in its first week and debuted at number 47 on the US Top Heatseekers album charts and number 57 on the UK Album Charts.[30] Upon its release the album was well received by critics. Drummer Dan Searle when describing the sound on the album in an interview believe it was a massive departure but also a logical progression for the band, saying: "I completely understand that we are known for being a technical band but its just not what we want to write any more, I think if you look at the way we have evolved over the last few records you could see it coming. We started writing technical music when we were 16 and have spent the years since slowly moving away from it, it feels like different people wrote those songs."[31] When looking back at the album in hindsight the band has always seen the period the record was released in as one of difficulty and lack of confidence in themselves.[6]

In February 2011, Architects announced the departure of bassist Alex Dean, due to family commitments. On 3 July 2011 it was announced that Dean had rejoined the band. When Dean commented on the short 5-month split from the band he said "I'm very happy to be able to say that I'm back, being able to stay at home for the past few months have given my family and I the opportunity to adjust to what happened last year and I know it's done us all a lot of good."[34] During this period where Dean was not a part of the band Casey Lagos filled in as a bass guitarist on some of the tours.[35]

In April 2011, Bring Me the Horizon as part of their ongoing support for their third album on their international There Is a Hell... Tour Architects was a main support alongside Parkway Drive and supported them in two continents. It started with a European tour, starting in the United Kingdom with The Devil Wears Prada as the opening support for the UK and dubstep group Tek-one opening for the remainder of continental Europe. On 28 April Matt Nicholls broke his arm whilst playing football with members of Bring Me the Horizon, Parkway Drive and Architects, and instead of cancelling the tour Architects' drummer Dan Searle filled in as the drummer, this meant that Bring Me the Horizon's setlist was halved in length.[36] This European Tour Lasted till late August. Then Architects, Parkway Drive and Deez Nuts supported Bring Me the Horizon in North America across September and October.[37]

On 4 December 2011, Architects released a new single entitled Devil's Island. The song was for an at the time unnamed follow up album to The Here and Now. The single was announced in early November, a month before its actual release. As an iTunes bonus b-side song "Untitled" was added into the single download. In addition to its announcement it was streamed on the band's Facebook page.[38] Both the song and the music video that accompanied the release talk about and deal with the 2011 England riots, with the music video featuring clips of the riots.[32][39] The single itself was well received by critics for its return to the mathcore style of their third album, Hollow Crown.[32] J.J. Nattrass of Bring the noise UK said that "the Track is sweeping and melodic in parts, whilst bursting with high tempo and visceral raw energy in others."[33] In December 2011 the band embarked on a five-day UK headline tour with supporting acts Heights, Tek-One and Deaf Havana as part of supporting the single.[38]

Architects' fifth studio album Daybreaker was released on 28 May 2012 in Europe and 5 June 2012 in the USA.[30] On 16 April 2012, after the album was fully recorded, it was announced that Tim Hillier-Brook would be leaving the band to pursue other projects. Josh Middleton, the frontman of British metal band Sylosis became a touring guitarist until the band decided on a new fifth member.[40]Daybreaker received a mixed reception from critics. Negative critics stated the album's songs were "catchy and occasionally compelling" but "identical and formulaic".[2] The band promoted the Daybreaker album though a collection of 75 shows in 25 countries (over 4 continents, including: Southeast Asia, Australia, North America and Europe ), called The Daybreaker Almost World Tour[41][42][43]

In 2013, the band promoted Daybreaker further, primarily in the United States, first supporting Enter Shikari in the US in March with Crossfaith[44] and then as part of the American Warped Tour 2013 in June.[45] They also played the main stage at Download Festival 2013 at Donington Park, Leicestershire, United Kingdom.[46] Before their large touring schedule in the United States the band wasn't confident in performing as they were "tired of losing money" with their tours in the country and that "[the band] were about ready to give up on America".[47]Architects announced that they were recording their sixth full-length album in September.[47] The band announced they were doing a third tour of the United States in 2013 in November and December with co-headliners Protest The Hero and support from The Kindred and Affiance,[48] as well as plans to go to Australia before 2013 had finished.[47]Architects final performance in support of Daybreaker is their first performance in India at the Saarang culture festival on 11 January 2014 with Romanian rock band Grimus.[49][50][note 2]

In mid-April 2013, Architects released a trailer of a their own documentary "One Hundred Days: The Story Of Architects Almost World Tour". Directed by Tom Welsh, the documentary is a story about Architects' Almost World Tour.[43][52] The funding for the film was done as a community funded project on indiegogo.[43] The band decided to release the film since they had left Century Media.[52] After the target amount had been reached for the film Architects posted a song clip of a new song "Black Blood" online for people to listen.[53] The band's split from Century Media was after their contract expired and due to "a daily occurrence" of falling out.[21] They then joined Epitaph records roster for both an opportunity to break the American market and because of an admiration for bands on their roster like Every Time I Die and Converge.[21]

Their sixth studio album, Lost Forever // Lost Together, was released on 11 March 2014, produced by Henrik Udd and recorded at the Gothenburg based studio Studio Fredman.[54] Two singles were released to promote the record "Naysayer",[55] "Broken Cross"; and a music video for "Gravedigger". In the support of the record's release Architects toured Europe in March and April with Stray from the Path and Northlane as main supports.[56] They then completed a co-headline tour of the United States with letlive. in April and May;[8][57] and then have lined up a supporting tour of The Amity Affliction in Australia,[58] including two headline shows of their own in the country,[59] and a Canadian tour in August and September.[60]

On 18 February 2015, it was announced by Sam Carter that touring member Adam Christianson had become a full-time member of Architects.[citation needed]

On 12 June 2015, Tom Searle announced that the band started demoing new songs and he was excited for the release of a seventh album. On 6 March 2016, Epitaph Records released a new Architects song, "A Match Made in Heaven". It is the first single from All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us, which is set to be released on 27 May.[citation needed] On 11 April, Architects released a second single, "Gone with the Wind". On March 23, Architects announced a release show in Brighton for May 27, supported by Counting Days. Due to unexpectedly high demand, the ticket website accidentally oversold tickets, prompting the band to add a second date on May 28. Architects premiered a third song, "Downfall", on May 20. On the same day, they announced a headline tour in the United Kingdom for November 2016. Architects are also set to play a number of shows in mainland Europe and in North America during the summer.

On 20 August 2016, founding guitarist and songwriter Tom Searle died at the age of 28, after living for three years with melanoma skin cancer. His twin brother and band mate, Dan, confirmed in a statement on the band's official Facebook page that their upcoming Australian tour, as well as their UK and Europe headline tour, would still be taking place as a tribute to his late brother following his passing. On the future of the band, Dan Searle wrote that "We want to carry on, that is important to say, and we will strive to do so, but we will not release any music unless we truly believe that it is something that Tom would have been proud of. Whether or not we can achieve that is something that we will have to discover in time".[61][62]

Architects have been referred to as being "pumped with both controlled rage and unhindered heart, accessible and ambitious, aggressive and beautiful".[12] Considered alongside Enter Shikari as offering metalcore style to more mainstream audiences[63] they have been described variously as metalcore,[4][64][65][66]mathcore,[4][67][68]post-hardcore,[1] post-metalcore[2] and technical metal.[69][70][71][72] Their music is characterised by choppy, complex guitar riffs,[71] the use of obscure time signatures and rhythmic breakdowns,[69] and for their guitarists alternating between a "down-tuned rumble" and "melodic punk" during songs.[73] However the band's music isn't solely been based upon technical proficiency and does use catchy riffs and choruses.[63]

Architects have made various stylistic transitions and evolutions throughout their career,[72] with the band citing their belief that each album should be distinct.[28] On their second album Ruin, the band's sound was heavier and darker sound than on Nightmares.[15]Hollow Crown maintains the aggression and technical proficiency of Ruin while incorporating more melody, catchy riffs and use of singing.[16][68][70] The band also used synthesised instruments such as keyboards and drum machines.[16] The guitars were tuned to Drop B with the lowest string at Ab, giving the "ability to create a really heavy low end sound on the bottom but still give a comfortable degree of tension on the higher strings."[72] A prime example of their signature style is the song 'We're All Alone', with its technical, progressive guitar riffs and heavy, hardcore punk-influenced rhythmic breakdowns.[68][70]

Their fourth album 'The Here and Now' represented a stylistic shift from their previous work considered "ultimately subjective" and "their most diverse".[67] Described as going in a "clean-cut post-hardcore" direction,[1]The Here and Now favours singing over screaming, anthemic choruses and hooks.[67] The album still retains elements of their previous albums, however, including "tortured howls, frenzied riffs, and earth-shattering rhythms, albeit with a slightly more mainstream edge."[74] The album includes the melancholy, glitchy electronica-based 'An Open Letter To Myself' and the rock ballad 'Heartburn'[67][74] both lead into "rousing, fist-pumping choruses". [65] The band's fifth album Daybreaker featured something of a return to the heavier, more aggressive style of their previous albums, balancing this with the melody and hooks of The Here and Now.[1]Daybreaker also features even more melodic, atmospheric tracks than usual, such as 'Truth Be Told, 'Behind The Throne' and 'Unbeliever'.[2][3]

After the release of Daybreaker the band grew confident in playing much heavier music again, and cited that the key influence on the heavier style of their sixth album was to create the best songs for live shows.[75][76] The album also incorporates blastbeats, which have not been used in any of the band's recordings since Hollow Crown.[77]

Vocally Carter is seen as having a coarse and "tortured"[64][78]screaming style and implements melodic singing to counter this.[69] Since Carter's addition to the band's lineup the band always aimed to use more of his singing as their style developed, regardless of reaction from fans.[13] During the writing of The Here and Now in California, Carter got vocal coaching to help develop his singing voice.[28] During these lessons Carter learned a lot about techniques, warm-ups and singing to scales.[28] Carter's harsh vocals have also been compared to British metalcore contemporary Oliver Sykes of Bring Me the Horizon and his "raspy-yelling" vocals.[79]

When Sam Carter joined the band to replace Matt Johnson, drummer Dan Searle had commented that the lyrics Carter wrote drew from more personal experience than those of his predecessor.[15] The lyrics of Hollow Crown focus on a number of themes, with some songs dealing with everyday life like sitting in a car with friends or angst against girls,[80] while some other songs, particularly "Early Grave", "Follow the Water" and "In Elegance", were written about Carter's growing dependence on cannabis and him "struggling against his own instincts and self-destructive obsessions".[16][25] Two songs featured on Hollow Crown "Dead March" and "Left with the Last Minute" feature "call and response-type" lyrics about a stalker and their victim's response to being stalked, respectively.[16][25] For the lyrics of Daybreaker, Carter and Tom Searle collaborated on writing, focusing on what they believed to be "bigger picture" themes,[76] such as the critique of negative aspects of religion and society.[3] Carter and Searle collaborated again on the lyrics of Lost Forever // Lost Together, and in an attempt not to sound like a "broken record", they no longer only addressed political issues, but also focused on themes that everyone can relate to.[76]

Architects' primary musical influences have been described as ranging through artists from the realms of hardcore punk and heavy metal music such as Botch, Converge, Decapitated, Deftones, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Gojira, Hatebreed, Meshuggah, Shadows Fall, Slipknot and Thrice,[4][73] and Alex Henderson of AllMusic considers the band to be influenced by noise rock[64] and math rock.[78]Rock Sound Kevin Stewart-Panko writer sees the band as a "metal/hardcore outfit influenced by Meshuggah's low-end guitar lurch, the throat-shredding howl of Converge's Jake Bannon, The Dillinger Escape Plan's staccato one-two rhythms and breakdowns from the state of Massachusetts is its own mystery."[73] Alter the Press! writer Selina Christoforou considered the band drawing on "the template drawn out by genre-defining bands, such as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, and Coalesce".[70]

When commenting on their influences singer Carter has said that "The Dillinger Escape Plan are such a massive influence on Architects. Back in the day, that's what we wanted to sound like when we were younger".[28] He in the same interview also stated that Thrice's Vheissu is one of his favourite albums.[28]

Current

Former

Touring musicians

One of their tour experiences was being strip searched in Sweden.[90]

Media related to Architects at Wikimedia Commons

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October 26, 2016 at 12:44 pm by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Architects