Live performance:**** Times Seen:2
Visions EP (1998)-7.3
Fractures In The Facade of Your Porcelain Beauty (1999)-7.7
Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses (2001)-8.4
The Curse (2004)-8.6
A Death-Grip On Yesterday (2006)-8.3
Lead Sails Paper Anchor (2007)-8.1
Congregation Of The Damned (2009)-7.8
Long Live (2015)-
Genre:Melodic Metalcore
Genre 2:Hardcore Punk (First two EPs)
Genre 3:Post-Hardcore
Genre 4:Hard Rock
For Fans Of:Bleeding Through, Unearth, 36 Crazyfists, Bullet For My Valentine, All That Remains, In Flames, OId A7X, catchy singing, sad lyrics.
Status-Playing select shows and writing/recording. (Album due September ‘15)
Formed in 1998. Hiatus 2011-2014
Discography Overview
Visions and Fractures In The Facade of Your Porcelain Beauty are Atreyu’s first two EPs. During this early stage the hardcore influence of the 90′s is definitely the most notable throughout the entire bands career. There is a lot of hardcore punk influence too as Atreyu tries to find a footing on a sound they like. In their very first EP (of which they don’t play any of these songs live) is where I got the inspiration for my first tattoo coincidentally also the header of my blog. “(True) strength comes from within, not above.” In many ways I wish I could see Atreyu continue this style of music, although it wasn’t exactly original, it was cool and passionate. Very raw stuff. On their second shorter EP they become heavier and more melodic, certainly leaning more towards a Metalcore sound. Alex’s vocals are more heavy and gutteral than ever before. 3 of the tracks on this EP would be re-recorded and put onto Atreyu’s first full-length. For some reason these songs feel like the weakest part of the album to me, but perhaps that’s just because I love the original editions with all of my heart. The drum tracking will forever be held in high regard for me. In fact it was hard to rate them or any of these other albums without a bias.
Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses is Atreyu’s debut full length and my favorite album from this band. It’s heavy, melodic, passionate and beautiful all in one. Atreyu’s best heavy riffs and chugs are in this album and they manage to do powerful guitar riffs without being boring breakdowns. In fact, I consider the end of Deanne The Arsonist one of Atreyu’s few real breakdowns, which for a Metalcore band is an impressive feat. There was a time that I wanted to get this album’s art tattooed on my body.. yeah the one with two butterflies touching. I still love this album, but I’m glad I didn’t do that. The end of Lip Gloss and Black was almost another tattoo “Live Love Burn Die”. The way this album hits you from start to end is incredible. In this album the drummer Brandon Saller also takes up a more lead role as a clean vocalist, meshing extremely well with the harshes of Alex V. If you want heavy angst with some melody and guitar sweeping this is the album for you. A great gateway album into heavier more technical metal.
While the first album is my favorite, The Curse is in my opinion, Atreyu’s best all around album. I believe many of the fans agree with this sentiment. The album is the peak of Melodic Metalcore. Similarily to the prior album, every single song has a certain feel to it-from the guitar and bass work right down to the drumming styles. You can hear a song and tell right away if it’s from this album or not. The lyrics are catchy and sung beautifully. Brandon Saller’s singing has never been better. Right Side of The Bed, Bleeding Mascara, Rememberance Ballad are just a few that will back me up on that. This album came out in 2004, back when MTV was actually about music and the singles from this album recieved significant airplay helping the band reach much deserved fame. The guitars on this album are used in such extraordinary ways, there’s not a single “filler” riff to be found. Between the writing and lack of a single mediocre track on this album, I think you’ll find it to be their best as well.
If you don’t like Atreyu by now, you probably won’t enjoy A Death Grip On Yesterday. This album is more of the same that you’ve come to love or hate. Choruses, screaming, and 4/4 time signature. If these are things you don’t like I can’t help you. This album has more clean singing than anything released prior and Brandon Saller takes increased leaps of faith with his range. All around nothing on this album really WOWs me. At the same time, I don’t dislike anything either. Still a solid midway release. This album featured the least amount of play live.
Lead Sails Paper Anchor is the album that happens a lot when you’re born in the 80′s and form a Metalcore band. Eventually many bands go to an older, less heavy sound. Atreyu does this on and off on this album giving a weird almost expiremental sound. Another good title for this album would be “An Ode to Butt Rock, Sometimes”. This album contains Become The Bull which is my favorite song off this album and the very first Atreyu song I ever heard. I remember thinking it was Death Metal and I still laugh at myself for that. Shout out to my cousin Bleek for getting me into my favorite band! My least favorite track on this album (and of all of Atreyu’s discography) is Blow which I can still get down to, but if it never existed I’d be completely alright. When Two Are One is a beautifully written love song and one of the best tracks on the album. The music is simpler, but this album is one of the best when played live. Becoming The Bull, Doomsday and When Two Are One had the crowds going wild, as this album is a favorite to the newer generation of fans. Can’t Happen Here is another strong track. Alex V. also takes up clean singing on this album too joining Brandon. Falling Down is another really popular song and single off this album that features a music video referencing The Outsiders.
Congregation of The Damned was the album I felt like I was waiting for forever. Of course Atreyu had only been my favorite band for a little less than 2 years at this point, I was still mad hype on new music. I remember very clearly when they posted a facebook status “Get ready guys this album is gonna be so heavy you might think it’s one of our old records!” then they followed up their claim by releasing the single on their Myspace “Stop Before It’s Too Late and We Destroyed It All”. Coincidentally or not, this would turn out to be the heaviest song on the entire album and the opening track. If I’m being honest, (I always am on this blog) this album starts strong and then progressively weakens. In my opinion, this album is the weakest, but it still maintains some good and catchy songs that do sound like throwbacks to an Atreyu of a decade ago. This album also mantains a sound that let’s you know the songs in this album are linked together. If you liked Lead Sails Paper Anchor or new Avenged Sevenfold you’ll probablly be a big fan of this release.
Live Review
Atreyu get a lot of hate from many people, including people in the metalcore scene. Despite this, Atreyu is still tight as hell live. They sound exactly like they did on record. Although it seems like Brandon Saller puts a little more effort into singing the more recent albums than the older ones. Another thing one might notice is how much heavier they sound live. And I mean like super heavy. It doesn’t matter what people say, Atreyu can put on a hell of a show. And if you know the words to every single song like I do, you’re in for a hell of a time. Atreyu also does an excellent job of playing material from every single one of their albums. I give mad respect to that because a lot of bands can’t or won’t do the same.
If shouting your favorite lyrics out and pushpitting are for you, learn these lyrics and go see Atreyu now. I have more merch from these guys than any other band. Atreyu will always hold a special place in my heart. The song they played off the their upcoming album sounded pretty promising. I assume it’ll end up being like Congregation of The Damned. By that I mean, some heavy tracks and some ballad type songs. Despite a few questionable song choices like “Blow”, “Wait For You”, there is not a single Atreyu song I dislike. Maybe I’m just a die hard fan, but I think Atreyu is just a band that’s hated on by people that don’t even listen to their type of music anymore or maybe never even did. Feel free to argue in my asks if you can prove differently.
Song reccomendations:Deanne The Arsonist, Lip Gloss And Black, Bleeding Mascara, Right Side of The Bed, The Crimson, Ex’s And Oh’s, Becoming The Bull, When Two Are One, Stop Before It’s Too Late And You’ve Destroyed It All, Bleeding Is A Luxury, and finally Gallows.
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