Achilles

Posted by Rob Ortenzi on 08-Nov-07 @ 01:56 PM

HQ: Rochester, NY

NOW PLAYING: Hospice (HEX)

THE STORY SO FAR: After releasing their 2005 debut The Dark Horse to modest fanfare, Achilles toured and wrote around their hectic schedules before descending upon Philadelphia last January to record what they believed would be their second and possibly final album. Inspired by their uncertain future, they aimed to ensure Hospice would withstand tests of time and imagination. "I put extra pressure on myself to really write well for this record," says vocalist Rory Vangrol. "I won't say we rushed The Dark Horse, but we wrote a lot of songs in a short period. For Hospice, they came more organically and we ended up writing songs rather than having to write."

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW 'EM: With bassist Chris Browne entering law school this fall and guitarist Rob Antonucci back to work as a high school art teacher (and first-time father), if you miss Achilles' hardcore ethos and brain-tickling mosh accelerants now, you might miss them forever. While the possibility of the end shrouds Achilles' future, it infused Hospice with the concentration of a band crafting their siren song. But as the disc continues generating rabid response, Achilles are reconsidering whether it should be their last stand. "[Hospice] is us being comfortable with the idea that this could be the last thing we do," Vangrol cryptically explains. "We're not a full-time band, so we don't know what we're going to do. This could be it-but we're leaving that door open." Tristan Staddon

YOU LIKE? YOU'LL LIKE: SNAPCASE / CAVE IN / BOTCH


Comments

Post a Comment

No comments yet!