Divitius is a name that has frequented the pages of this website over the past year. And with good reason. Since their emergence with the “Serpent Skin” playthrough, they’ve wowed the populace with an onslaught of quality singles. There were somewhere around six tracks posted on this site alone and I’ve seen more floating around on other platforms as the band made connections. And that, folks, is a good way to hype a debut record! Especially considering the umph behind this particular album.
For those who have not been properly introduced, Divitius are a lovely group of five talents stemming from their home in Portland, Oregon. They play an aggressive form of Progressive Metal that also has a bit of a sweet side when it isn’t busy stomping your insides out. Feel free to click onto either of the provided videos and give a listen for yourself.
As you may experience, Divitius spare no time on the adrenaline pump. A track like the opener “Serpent Skin” in combination with singles like “Ghost Hunter” and “Ereshkigal” are burning flames of intensity. They mark the heavier end of the band’s sound with crushing sonic depths and spires of technicality on high. Take a step to the other end of spectrum and Divitius have vivid sparks of lighter moments on tracks like “Everyn”, “Lucid”, and “Sky”. They may hit you in the feels, so to speak. A Divitius track on this LP will usually run from one end of this line to the other with, otherwise, a relatively consistent sound. Both ends of the style frequently bleed onto one another in the process. Kinky.
All in all, it works well for them. One can feel them starting to carve out a direction of a signature sound. And that should be the ultimate goal for just about any debut. Kudos. It should be interesting to watch this mesh of musicians evolve into the future.
This isn’t a perfect record but it’s a exceptional start. As just stated, the band is beginning to carve out a sound but certain influences weigh heavy on the sleeve – different listeners will take this in different ways. When compared and contrasted with contemporaries in this particular field, one may walk away feeling like the production could be a tad more crispy. Objectively, people may also view the general consistency of sound in different ways while taking in “The Arcadian Parallel” all at once. Everything may bleed together in some ears while standing out in others. That really depends on the listener’s attention span.
In the grand scheme of things, however, most criticisms of this record are straight nitpickery. Divitius did a standout job of bringing together this debut on just about every front. They should be proud. A lot of impressive talent stepped up in 2017 so far. Divitius is undoubtedly among those ranks.
To sum things up, this is a great LP worth indulging in. Divitius hit a bar of professional quality music making right off the bat. That’s no easy feat. Moving forward, they’ve opened themselves for all kinds of magic. Hold onto your seats for whatever may come next! In the meantime, take in “The Arcadian Parallel” (once again) through the links above or head over to their Bandcamp page to support them directly! Enjoy!
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