Anyhow, Arsis is responsible for a particularly venomous and virulent strain of Death Metal that lies somewhere between Technical and Melodic. I give the nod to the former rather than the latter because Arsis is abusive and abrasive, much like eating a Brillo pad might be. Oh, sure, the melody is there, but think Chuck Schuldiner rather than Michael Amott. In fact, if the mighty Evil Chuck were still with us, or had he rethought the creative process, he may very well have followed Malone's lead and done everything he could do by himself. Regardless, Arsis has graced the world with another 36+ minutes of musical excellence, though United in Regret unfortunately does not seem as potent as the band's debut, instead sounding a bit "samey" at times.

The musicianship is still at an all time high, particularly Malone's blazing fretwork, but not much about this album sticks in your head. Not that music has to be catchy, much less have hooks, so to speak, but Arsis would have been better served with perhaps a bit more groove. Vocally Malone sounds more like Angela Gossow with a high pitched Black Metal rasp than anything else. It is also worth mentioning that Van Dyne's footwork is sometimes uneven, most evident on tracks 2 and 7. That said, I still enjoy the album's 8 original songs. I also still expect great things from this band. At their best they approach a Death by way of Nile aspect. At their worst they tread in the realm of Arch Enemy. Arsis is worthy of your attention and perhaps another memorable offering like those from the back catalog would serve you (and them) well.

written by Tony Belcher

Playing time: 36.27