Arsis: Alive And Well

Initially a chops-honing diversion for singer/guitarist James Malone while attending Berklee College Of Music, Virginia metal outfit Arsis have, over the course of four full-length albums, emerged as a favorite for proponents of melodic and technical death. They recently wrapped tracking on LP number five, produced by Mark Lewis (The Black Dahlia Murder, Devildriver), and a pre-production demo of new song “Choking On Sand” passed on by the band earlier this year should reassure the faithful that changes in personnel—members that moved on to Arch Enemy, Black Dahlia, or non-musical pursuits—have done little to disrupt the group’s growth. They’ll come through Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan on Dec. 6 alongside Holy Grail and Finnish mainstays Sonata Arctica, with tickets for $22.