Arkaik’s New Song “Supernal Flame” Absolutely Rips

I’ve always filed Arkaik in with that group of technical death metal bands who are adequate if unspectacular, one in a sea of 17,000 Unique Leader / Artisan Era bands that are Pretty Good at that sort of thing. Welp, I am here today to tell you that I was wrong, and I am fully prepared to eat any giant bowl of pubes you’d like to send my way.

The band’s new song “Supernal Flame” is an absolute monster of a DM track, propelled by a thicc groove that the band uses as both a breakneck jackhammer and slow-motion sledgehammer. Sure, there’s plenty of weedily-weedily guitar work as is usually the case in this genre, but the band’s use varying themes of the same riff/pattern throughout the song puts this one over the top. The half-time middle section and delicately weaved guitar solo make the glue that holds this song together before bringing it back home with a triumphant end passage.

Check out “Supernal Flame” below. It’s the first recording to feature new guitarists Cris Portugal (Enslave the Creation) and Alex Haddad (live for Vale of Pnath, Dessiderium) as well as new drummer Nathan Bigelow (Singularity). A full-length album is expected in 2020, and I’m ready for it.