In a recent video posted to his YouTube channel, Dean Lamb, guitarist for Canadian technical death metal band Archspire, shared his admiration for the album Machinations of Dementia by Blotted Science, which he describes as his favorite album of all time. This record, released in 2007, continues to influence his vision of musical composition and his approach to death metal.
Machinations of Dementia : an essential work for Dean Lamb
Dean Lamb begins by tracing the history of Blotted Science, an instrumental group formed in 2005 by guitarist Ron Jarzombek and bassist Alex Webster (Cannibal Corpse). Although the band has never played live and hasn’t released anything in over ten years, the album Machinations of Dementia remains an essential reference for Lamb: “I listened to this album on repeat when I worked in construction, headphones on all day. Even after hundreds of listens, I continue to discover fascinating new details. It’s as if each note was tailor-made for this precise moment.”
Dean highlights the use of twelve-tone matrix by Ron Jarzombek, a method of composition inspired by Arnold Schoenberg that treats each note with equal importance, producing music that is atonal and unpredictable. He also admires the guitar solos, notably those in the song Narcolepsywhich he describes as an endless stream of complex and captivating phrasing.
“These solos are frustrating for me, because I dream of being able to write something so precise and inspiring. Every note seems perfectly in its place. This album changed the way I thought about death metal.”
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A lasting influence on Archspire
Dean Lamb acknowledges that Machinations of Dementia directly influenced his own style, particularly the use of complex time signatures, such as 5/8 or 5/4 structures. He adds that the album redefined his expectations of what instrumental death metal can accomplish, while also inspiring some of the ideas he incorporated into Archspire’s music.
“If you hear 5/8 songs in Archspire, it’s thanks to Blotted Science. Their ability to create something so groovy and complex remains a constant source of inspiration for me.”
A period of transition for Archspire
Furthermore, Archspire is going through an important phase, as it is currently looking for a new drummer after holding open auditions. Although no official announcement has been made yet, the band may have already found the musician they need.
