Hey there tech fiends, it's that time of the week again. Once again, there's an exclusive premiere for you here today that's well worth your time. Before we dive into it, here's the usual weekly reminder that if you're looking for more shred jams, all prior editions of this series can be perused here.
At this point, Arkaik doesn't need much in the way of a lengthy introduction. They're a well-known staple in the tech-death world, and fans of the genre by and large already know them. While I'm of the opinion that their prior full-length, Lucid Dawn, was a rare dip in quality for the group, I'm quite pleased with what their upcoming album, Nemethia, has to offer. From what I've heard so far, Nemethia is everything I was hoping the follow up to 2012's Metamorphigntion would be, and then some. Since the new one shows the band not merely content to construct material that will please prior fans, but sees them actively branching out across the board with a stylistic evolution I did not anticipate. So for fans of Arkaik old and new, I'm proud to premiere a new song and music video for "Futile State".
The song itself kicks off with a deathly groove peppered with audible elastic bass guitar lines, quickly spiraling towards an overload of killer lead guitar work, paired with an endless array of back and forth growls and screams, and made complete by an onslaught of maniacal and spidery rhythm riffs and machine-like drumming. To call "Futile State" a pummelling effort would be an understatement, this is a war zone and your ears will either embrace its rage or become overwhelmed amidst the chaos within it. I love the push and pull dynamic at work here between groove and shred that "Futile State" expertly exploits and finds comfort in.
As for the vibe and themes the music video that accompanies's "Futile State" seeks to explore, I'll leave it to a statement from the band to explain what's going on. Arkaik had this to say about it: "The song is about the feeling of existential futility and the catharsis it can create. The video is a blend of ideas. I took inspiration from Plato's Allegory of the Cave, mixed with neo-shamanism and put a transhumanist spin on it. Nikko DeLuna is great at taking my ideas and bringing them to life. It was a pleasure to work with him again, and the rest of our team. Enjoy!"
So jam out to "Futile State", and if you're digging the music, you can pre-order Nemethia through Unique Leader Records here and here. The album drops on September 29th. Be sure to follow the group over on the Arkaik Facebook Page if you aren't already doing so.
