Artist: Becoming the Archetype Album: Dichotomy Label: Solid State Records Rating: 8 out of 10

I'm a little late coming to Becoming the Archetype, who are now three albums into their career with the venerable Solid State Records – but judging by the excellent Dichotomy, it's definitely better late than never. Sounding somewhat like a cross between Demon Hunter and Between the Buried and Me – with occasional flourishes of Dream Theatre proginess – BTA certainly isn't for everyone. But for discerning metal fans, it doesn't get much better than this. Standouts include the title track, which moves from metalcore brutality into a beautifully harmonized, piano-driven bridge; crushingly heavy album-opener "Mountain of Souls," leant an epic feel by dramatic synth strings (a staple of Dichotomy); and "How Great Thou Art," a classic hymn transformed into a metallic headbanger. Why these guys haven't received the attention of contemporaries like Mastodon and the overrated Lamb of God is anyone's guess, but the band's strong roots in the Christian scene are the most likely culprit. Which is a shame, because BTA are making some of the most creative and flat-out brutal metal out there. I'm definitely looking forward to digging into their back catalog to see what Terminate Damnation and The Physics of Fire have to offer, and waiting to hear what comes next for Becoming the Archetype. – Todd Thatcher