The Armed – Perfect Saviours Album Review (AOTM August)

‘The Armed’ has been a band that’s kept its air of mystery within the hardcore/metal scene since their debut album ‘Untitled’ back in 2015. People online have been throwing around all sorts of guesses and theories about who’s actually behind the band. I won’t dive into those here, but I’d suggest checking out articles like the one on ‘Metal Injection’ from 2021 if you’re curious.

But let’s talk about how things have changed. They kicked off with this intense and aggressive metal sound. Their first couple of albums were just a barrage of noise, with heavy guitar riffs and all-out chaos. Then came ‘ULTRAPOP,’ where they started mixing in more melodic stuff, sort of blending pop melodies with metal in a way we hadn’t really heard before. There were hints of this shift on ‘Only Love,’ but ‘ULTRAPOP’ took it up a notch.

Now with their latest album, ‘Perfect Saviours,’ ‘The Armed’ is at it again, doing things in a new way. They’re finally peeling back the curtain a bit, shedding light on the band’s mysteries and talking openly about the structure of the band. At the same time, they’re moving even further towards softer sounds. You can’t really stick a “metal” label on their music anymore. You can catch glimpses of their origins, but their music nowadays feels more like a noisy rock with some pop mixed in.

But don’t expect an easy ride with this album. It’s packed with all these little details and the songs keep you guessing. After a few listens, though, the tunes start sticking in your head. The melodies are on point, and the vocals are way more accessible than their older stuff. Speaking of vocals, that’s one of the big changes from their earlier days – now about 90% of the vocals are clean, with hardly any screaming.

The standout here has to be the drums. Seriously, every track is a showcase of drumming skills. I’d recommend giving the album a spin a few times, focusing only on the drumming for one listen – it’s worth it. This complexity is what makes the album tick. There’s so much going on that you might need quite a few listens to really get it.

The only hiccup is the last track, ‘Public Grieving,’ which kind of throws off the album’s flow. Other than that, ‘Perfect Saviours’ has a cohesive vibe, even though that jazzy final track doesn’t quite hit the mark. All said and done, this album stands out as one of the most interesting releases this year!

The Armed – Perfect Saviours

Release Date: August 25, 2023

Album of the Month by Cuberat