The Arch - Engine In Void

The Arch are definitely not newcomers in the Belgian electro/ new wave scene, since they formed back in 1986, in a small town called Breendonk, between Brussels & Antwerp. Although, their last full-length album (“In Sofa”) dates back to 1997, the band seems to be in great shape, judging by their most recent effort, “Engine In Void”.

One of the finest examples is the slow-burner, cure-like, “Individuals” with the addictive guitar riffs in the background and the frozen vocals along with the rich keyboards, which captures the listener’s attention from the first second! “Donor” is a more up-tempo attempt in the familiar fields of Mesh with solid bass lines & drum-beats in a never-ending ‘struggle’ with the melody. In addition, “Kafkaia” is an ideal flirt with industrial preparing the ground for the anthemic “Barbouze”, a perfect mixture of electro and industrial rock. Following, is the dream-like poppy ballad “Only She”, but what comes next is an imaginary collaboration between Nine Inch Nails and God Lives Underwater, called “Waterfall”. And just after this “Engine In Void” seems to be reaching its peak with “Let It Beat Us” & “Miss Take”: The powerful guitars combined with the staccato rhythms, along with an exceptional refrain in the first one, and the great work that has been done in the vocals concerning the 2nd, launch the album into other orbit. The female vocals in “My Suitor” are unexpected but welcomed, and the atmospheric “In Silence” ‘seals’ the record with high expectations regarding their next effort.

The only question is when? Who cares, as long we’ll keep listening to this rare piece of art for the next few years(?).

Tracklist:
01. Individuals
02. Donor
03. Seminary
04. Skinny Meadows
05. Kafkaia
06. Barbouze
07. Only She
08. Waterfall
09. Let It Beat Us
10. Miss Take
11. My Suitor
12. In Silence

8/10   Christos Doukakis