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Printer-Friendly ModeLatest Atreyu album returns to metalcore
April 3, 2006 —
My favorite release of 2004, and one of the most unheralded, had to be Atreyu's The Curse. The metalcore quintet showed its versatility, even scoring a minor hit with "Right Side of the Bed." Much of the album sounded like nothing you would normally hear on the commercialized crap-fest we call terrestrial radio, as lead singer Alex Varkatzas sliced open your eardrums with razorblades and sewed them shut with sorrow.
Albums following a commercial breakthrough usually disappoint. The new album from Atreyu, A Death-Grip on Yesterday, is as forlorn as its two previous releases, 2002's Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, and 2004's breakthrough album The Curse. Yet while The Curse moved Atreyu away from its hardcore roots into the rockier waters of metalcore, A Death-Grip on Yesterday seems to be an ode to earlier fans.
Yesterday cannot be described as a disappointment compared to The Curse, nor can it be considered an improvement. It simply sounds ... different. In a musical era where record companies squeeze every last dollar out of a genre until no one can stand it anymore, I applaud Atreyu for its willingness to stray from the successful formula it created with The Curse.
That being said, I do have some problems with Yesterday. For one, the album's nine songs clock in at barely a half-hour. Some fans might argue that the relative paucity of music shows a lack of filler songs, but nonetheless, justifying a full-price 32-minute album is difficult. Second, the album lacks the cohesive flow of The Curse, as some songs seem out of order on the album. When I heard "The Theft," I could have sworn I was listening to hardcore archetype Poison the Well, not Atreyu.
Yet Atreyu, which will be headlining the second stage at Ozzfest this year, did record some excellent songs for Yesterday. The band's first single, "Ex's and Oh's," shows the dynamic clash between melodic harmonizing and death rattle screaming that pummels the listener.
The opening song on the album, "Creature," is like a shot of espresso to the un-expecting listener. Even though most of the album is definitely considered up-tempo, there are some exceptions; notably the aforementioned "Your Private War" and much of the album's finale, cleverly titled "Untitled Finale."
"Our Sick Story (Thus Far)" is the strongest song on Yesterday, and is an anthem for anyone betrayed by a lost love. With a rocking chorus of "With your lips pressed tightly up against his skin/ Does your body still scream my name?" there is a high probability that you will end up replaying images in your head. While not for the faint of heart, Atreyu can be a catharsis for self-demons.
Do I recommend this album? Absolutely. While many hardcore purists have abandoned Atreyu, the band shows that it is possible to make music that is simply more than screaming for 40 minutes.
At the same time, the existential lyrics of the band are reminiscent of the dreaded "e-word" - emo - yet rather than whining about love lost, Atreyu spits in the face of the ex-girlfriend that is obviously the focus of the album. After listening to the album, it's a good bet your pulse will be elevated.
And after all, isn't that what music is supposed to do?