Architects invade the US with debut national tour

It could take seconds to tear down years of work and we won’t get these days back again, lead vocalist Sam Carter rages before sliding seamlessly into ’90s punk-rock-influenced vocals on “Day In Day Out,” the opening track on United Kingdom metal band Architects’ newest album The Here and Now.

The band took these lyrics to heart as it prepared to go on an international tour to promote its record, which dropped in January to mixed reviews by critics.

Before leaving the United Kingdom, Carter said he “spent a lot of time with [his] girlfriend and family,” since he would be away for such a long period. Band mate Dan Searle even had to prepare for drumming with tour mate Bring Me The Horizon, whose drummer was injured playing soccer.

But now, currently on the U.S. leg of their tour, the band mates are ready to display the new sound found in The Here and Now.

“It’s changed. You’ve got to progress,” Carter insisted about the record’s sound compared to its predecessor Hollow Crown, which was praised as an impressively riveting thrill ride. “We’ve always been into punk. It was a very natural thing. We wanted to do it and go in the right direction. It came out good mixing different types of music.”

It came out better than good. Yet, it was those classic metal stylings that won Architects their international fan base. Hollow Crown cemented a worldwide audience for the U.K. band with its intense instrumentation and Carter’s memorable vocals. The accompanying promotional tour through Australia and the United Kingdom allowed the band to captivate new fans around the world. The United States, however, has proven itself as a rough crowd for Architects, and Carter seems wary about touring here.

“No one in the U.S. really likes us, where as everywhere else in the world they do,” Carter reflected, understandably confused. “The U.S. is tough.”

But the ambition in Architects shines through.

“Were gonna keep trying until it works,” Carter said.

And trying they are. Sam Carter, along with band mates Tim Hillier-Brooks (guitar), Dan Searle (drums), Tom Searle (guitar) and Alex “Ali Dino” Dean (bass guitar) recently stormed Los Angeles to perform with Parkway Drive and Bring Me The Horizon. The tour is billed as “The Greatest Show on Earth,” complete with “Madness & Mayhem!”

Though Parkway Drive has been delayed in its arrival, Carter is excited about his band’s other tourmate.

“Bring Me [The Horizon’s] great!” Carter said. “We always love touring with them. They’re like our best friends — during the day we always joke around during sound check.”

Attitudes like this make for great touring chemistry, especially when touring for a long time. The road can get tedious and boring, but the band has its head on straight. To keep things fresh and stay inspired, Carter said he and the band sit around, talk and drink a lot. What else would you expect from a group of twenty-year-olds living the dream?

But the band isn’t wasting time partying everyday. The inspiration goes deeper.

“We’re writing.” Carter said. “We recorded two new songs that will be coming out by the end of the year. And we’re recording in January.”

Consistently thinking about the next step, the creative juices for Architects are always flowing. Carter added he has “been listening to some atmospheric stuff” while touring.

When asked about where these musical influences would take Architects, he simply said, “Who knows what will happen?”

Carter promised a rocking evening, and the band is sure to deliver. The combination of sounds — new and old — will be interesting to witness.

Architects is definitely a band to see. Comfortable with experimentation in sights and sounds, this group is composed of young guys who have their wits about them, artistically motivated and ready to take their music to the next level of metal.

The band will be touring the United States throughout the fall with fellow acts Bring Me The Horizon, Parkway Drive, Deez Nuts and While She Sleeps. If home for a weekend or break, be sure to see where the Architects are performing.