Album Review: For Those That Wish To Exist, Architects

By Resonate | April 28, 2021

Words By Dylan Shortridge

Where, oh where to start with this release? Architects maybe, just maybe, have just smashed the perfect three-album run. 2016’s All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us took the band from being a very good metalcore band to Alexandra Palace headlining, pillar of modern rock. Followed by 2018’s Holy Hell (a heart-wrenching tribute to the band’s guitarist Tom Searle, who tragically passed away in 2016), this album solidified that despite losing their lead songwriter they could progress and continue. Now, here we are in 2021, and despite everything, the band have made an incredible new album called For Those That Wish To Exist.

If you’re coming at an Architects release expecting anything other than some beefy headbangers, you’re in the wrong place. What really shines through on this release is the symbiosis between subdued moments and explosions of controlled chaos that Architects are masters of. The way that the opener Do You Dream Of Armageddon? builds atmospheric tension until its crescendo, whimpering out before throwing you headfirst into the absolute rager of Black Lungs.

Thematically, the album is about humanity’s impact on the world and how we will eventually be our own downfall. A million other bands have written about these themes to varying degrees of success, but Architects aren’t a million other bands. There are clearly differences in the writing of this album as the themes aren’t as deeply personal to the band, instead, they write on behalf of all of us. Lofty right? This writing style suits the band and with a voice as strong as that of Sam Carter’s, he could be screaming just about anything and I’d be all ears. 

It would be misgiven not to mention how well the band have handled the features on this album; both Royal Blood’s Mike Kerr and Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil make noteworthy appearances. Yet the strongest comes from Parkway Drive’s Winston McCall, known for his ability to growl brutal one-liners and his feature on Impermanence plays to this strength. His line ‘those afraid to die will never truly live’ will have you throwing limbs uncontrollably.

What more is there to say? The album is a 10.

10/10

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