ARSIS – A Celebration Of Guilt

I don’t remember when I first discovered Arsis, but from the second I heard the drum intro and sweep-picking riff from “Face of my Innocence” on “A Celebration of Guilt,” I was hooked.  The thing about Arsis that I loved (and love) is that they bring the darkness and heavy riffage of Death Metal and throw in catchy-yet-intricate leads and solos that make it completely listenable.  Don’t get me wrong – I love me some traditional death metal.  But something about front man James Malone’s musicality really stuck out for me in Arsis’ music compared to all other bands doing the “death metal” thing.  But Arsis’ musicality isn’t surprising when you consider Malone and original drummer Mike Van Dyne met at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

And the unique blend of styles isn’t surprising, either, when you consider Malone’s influences…

From Wikipedia:

The band’s main composer, singer/guitarist/songwriter James Malone, wrote and performed all the guitar, vocal, and bass work on the first studio album A Celebration of Guilt. He has cited King Diamond, Mercyful Fate, Racer X, Iron Maiden, Emperor, Queensryche, Death, Dimmu Borgir and Dissection as being influential to him.

Something I was really impressed with the first time I saw Arsis – something I guess I hadn’t thought about just listening to the record – was that Malone plays lead and sings throughout every song.  And he does it flawlessly.  In ’05 I had the opportunity to play a show in Indiana, PA, with Arsis, but unfortunately flooding caused their van to get stuck and they were forced to turn around.  A few months later they came back and they definitely lived up to the precision laid down on the recordings.

James Malone is obviously the heart and soul of this band, being the only constant member in their history, using session musicians and fill-ins for the majority of the time.  It seems, though, that they have finally gotten their act together and came out with a new release in February of this year titled, “Starve for the Devil.”

Unfortunately, I don’t like their new album or much of their music released since A Celebration of Guilt.  The image of the band has changed for the worse, becoming sort of glam-oriented, and the music seems watered down to suit the masses.  You still hear Malone’s skilled licks, riffs, and structures, but something’s lacking.  I don’t want to call him a sellout, because everyone deserves to make a dime.  It’s just too bad the new stuff isn’t really worth my 2 cents.  Here’s the first single from the new record:

Maybe it’s satirical and I’ll eat my words.  They have a chance to prove me wrong.  Arsis is playing The Smiling Moose on June 5^th.

http://www.myspace.com/arsis

Jason Cook

There were a lot of people who thought opening any kind of a store in this market would be a risky venture.  It’s true.  But that’s business.  Backstage Guitars took all of that criticism and forged ahead to create two amazing, accessible stores in order to serve Pittsburgh musicians best.  With a strong business model and dedication to service, our first year proved to be a successful one.  At the forefront of the company is owner Jake Miclot, with Regional Director and Purchaser Jason Deutsch.  Jason D. also holds down management for Wexford while Manager Jason Cook handles business in Lawrenceville full-time.  Joining our staff in late 2009 after spending 6 years as an educator in the public school system, Carey Davenport signed on as Manager of the Rock Band Academy.

Our first-year success didn’t come easy, and to show our thanks and appreciation for the patience and dedication of our customers, we’re holding a storewide sales event for the entire month of April.  Every item in the store will be discounted, with prices too low to advertise.  And when we say ‘every item,’ we mean everything!   All accessories, pedals, guitars, and amps will be on sale.  That means that Reverend guitar you’ve been waiting to pull the trigger on or that Bad Cat amplifier that haunts you in your dreams might finally be achievable.  Buy a Recording King acoustic guitar and enjoy fine quality at an affordable price.  Or upgrade to a beautiful handcrafted Larriveé acoustic and make all of your friends jealous.  Can you think of anything better to spend your tax return on?  We can’t.  We hope to see you in April!

And, again, thank you!

Backstage Guitars Staff