Antithesis (album)
Encyclopedia
Antithesis is the fourth studio album
by technical death metal
band Origin
. It was released through Relapse Records
, on April 1, 2008. It peaked at #21 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.
According to Kerrang!
which gave the album 4 stars, the band "...once again pack in more untrammelled ferocity and sheer sonic destruction then can be good for anyone's health". "The album hurtles by on a torrent of almost inhuman blasting, technical fret mangling and the vomitous vocal of James Lee. While there is always a problem that music that relentless can become a little one-dimensional, the blistering intensity demands your attention from violent start to battered finish", reviewer Dan Slesser writes, picking out "the jaw-dropping" 9.5 minute closing title track as the CD's highlight which "definitely slams the door in the face of all corners".
: the World War II
effort to develop the first nuclear weapons at the secret Los Alamos National Laboratory
in New Mexico
. In reference to the Trinity test
in New Mexico, where his Los Alamos team first tested the bomb, Oppenheimer famously recalled the Bhagavad Gita
: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
Antithesis was ranked # 7 on Decibel Magazine's Top 40 Metal Releases of 2008
Antithesis was ranked # 6 on Metal Maniacs Top 40 metal Releases of 2008
The cover bears strong resemblance to a portrait of a xenomorph
that was painted by H.R. Giger.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by technical death metal
Technical death metal
Technical death metal is a musical subgenre of death metal that focuses on complex rhythms, riffs and song structures. Technical experimentation in death metal began in the late '80s and early '90s by bands such as Death, Atheist and Cynic...
band Origin
Origin (band)
Origin is an American death metal band from Topeka, Kansas, founded in 1998. They have been recognized by music critics and metal fans alike for combining a harsh sound with a high level of technical skill....
. It was released through Relapse Records
Relapse Records
Relapse Records is an independent record label based in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Matthew F. Jacobson in 1990.-History:The label was started by Matthew F. Jacobson in August, 1990 in his parents' basement in Aurora, Colorado...
, on April 1, 2008. It peaked at #21 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Greg Prato awarded the album 3.5 stars stating "Although death metal and prog metal are usually thought of as two different subgenres of heavy metal, in certain cases, there's really not much differentiating the two. Case in point, Origin, and their 2008 release, Antithesis. Although they are extreme sounding in just about every way imaginable (guttural growls, stop-start riffing, metronome-perfect drumming, etc.), the instrumental prowess of Origin's players is mighty impressive here. But be forewarned -- there's not an ounce of melody detected anywhere (just front to back metallic brutality), as evidenced by such over the top assaults as the album opener, "The Aftermath," as well as "Consuming Misery" and "Wrath of Vishnu," among others. Whether you love it or hate it, most would have to agree that Origin's Antithesis is certainly death metal at its most complex and challenging. ".According to Kerrang!
Kerrang!
Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...
which gave the album 4 stars, the band "...once again pack in more untrammelled ferocity and sheer sonic destruction then can be good for anyone's health". "The album hurtles by on a torrent of almost inhuman blasting, technical fret mangling and the vomitous vocal of James Lee. While there is always a problem that music that relentless can become a little one-dimensional, the blistering intensity demands your attention from violent start to battered finish", reviewer Dan Slesser writes, picking out "the jaw-dropping" 9.5 minute closing title track as the CD's highlight which "definitely slams the door in the face of all corners".
Track listing
The quote before the title track Antithesis is from J. Robert Oppenheimer. He is best known for his role as the scientific director of the Manhattan ProjectManhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
: the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
effort to develop the first nuclear weapons at the secret Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. In reference to the Trinity test
Trinity test
Trinity was the code name of the first test of a nuclear weapon. This test was conducted by the United States Army on July 16, 1945, in the Jornada del Muerto desert about 35 miles southeast of Socorro, New Mexico, at the new White Sands Proving Ground, which incorporated the Alamogordo Bombing...
in New Mexico, where his Los Alamos team first tested the bomb, Oppenheimer famously recalled the Bhagavad Gita
Bhagavad Gita
The ' , also more simply known as Gita, is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is part of the ancient Sanskrit epic, the Mahabharata, but is frequently treated as a freestanding text, and in particular, as an Upanishad in its own right, one of the several books that constitute general Vedic tradition...
: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."
Antithesis was ranked # 7 on Decibel Magazine's Top 40 Metal Releases of 2008
Antithesis was ranked # 6 on Metal Maniacs Top 40 metal Releases of 2008
The cover bears strong resemblance to a portrait of a xenomorph
Xenomorph (Alien)
The Alien is a fictional endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species that is the primary antagonist of the Alien film series. The species made its debut in the 1979 film Alien, and reappeared in its sequels Aliens , Alien 3 , and Alien Resurrection , two crossovers Alien vs...
that was painted by H.R. Giger.
Personnel
- James Lee - vocals
- Paul RyanPaul Ryan (guitarist)Paul Ryan is a guitarist and singer for the Kansas-based technical death metal band Origin. He is the only member who has been continuously in the band since its formation in 1997. He is an extremely proficient guitarist in the genre of death metal and extensively utilizes extremely difficult...
- guitar, vocals - Jeremy TurnerJeremy TurnerJeremy Turner was the guitarist/ vocalist for the Kansas-based death metal band Origin.He performed on Origin's A Coming Into Existence , the self-titled debut on Relapse, Informis Infinitas Inhumanitas, and Origin's latest, Antithesis. He performed on Unmerciful's debut on Unique Leader Records,...
- guitar, vocals - Mike Flores - bass, vocals
- John Longstreth - drums
Production
- Arranged & Produced By Origin
- Engineered By Robert Rebeck
- Mastered By Scott HullScott HullScott Hull is an American heavy metal musician, and the current guitarist and producer for Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, and Japanese Torture Comedy Hour. He has been part of many other projects including the controversial band Anal Cunt . Aside from his music works, he currently works as a...