The 2017 Arsies: February 3, 2017

February 3, 2017

Emotion	●●○	●●●
Memorability	●●●	●●○
Replayability	●●●	●●○
Innovation	●●●	●●●
Pace	●●●	●●○
Shredding	●●●	●●○
Vocals	●●○	●●●
Production	●●●	●●●
	✓

The week ends with the beginning of the Arsies' Quarterfinals!
It also ends on a troubling note for Yours Truly. Take a peek at today's scorecard, and keep those metrics in mind when you hear what I have to say:
While Textures waste no time on Phenotype, dishing out an album that qualifies both as an emotionally diverse roundup and one of the most massive slabs of heavy of 2016, my first impression was that there's something about it that feels a little too clever for its own good. (The heavy djent leaning is undoubtedly part of it.) But this is a minor nitpick about some frantically uncompromising music.
By comparison, Anciients seem like they've got nothing but time on Voice Of The Void. Their unhurried, meandering style lets them give their songs time to build unwaveringly. That's not to say that there's tong of nuance on this sludgey album. Or so I thought, at first blush.
These are both truly worthy competitors, and it pains me to have to knock one out right now. It was a very near battle (I had to listen to both albums twice today to be certain), but in the end, Anciients have just enough of an advantage to beat out Textures.
Come back on Monday for the last full week of the Arsies, starting with the next Quarterfinals matchup: a fight between Meshuggah and Norma Jean.