Becoming the archetype

Children of the Great Extinction

Veteran artists who have made their mark in music often earn a measure of leeway when it comes to what fans can expect from their performance. Sounds evolve, creative processes change, skills sharpen, and energy ebbs and flows. For Becoming the Archetype, the music has certainly matured after 20+ years, but the level of raw, youthful energy remains undeterred by time, requiring no leeway.

It’s been a decade since BTA’s last album release, and we can say with confidence that their new record, Children of the Great Extinction, was worth the wait.

The theme and caliber of Children of the Great Extinction are substantial enough for an entire rock opera production, complete with a full light show, futuristic scenery, and anything else that may resemble a Ridley Scott film. Both wholly and in part, the album boasts an unbridled — at times brutal — exuberance and jaw-dropping technical precision. The entire experience traverses the brutality of human existence ( i.e. “The Hollow”), but also the resilience of hope (i.e. “The Awakening”).

Stylistically, there’s a deference to earlier albums like Terminate Damnation and Physics of Fire, but it’s clear that the core trio crafted this with a new lease on life. After a 10-year hiatus, Becoming the Archetype bolsters their new record with immense technicality, experimental soundscapes, and a resurgence of intensity.

While we hope we don’t have to wait as long for the next album, Children of the Great Extinction stands as a worthy return for one of Christian metal’s most beloved and missed outfits.