They are probably a band that never really get the recognition they deserve, that is really the only way to sum up Atreyu. They have been there since the start of the metalcore movement and keep going grinding out great album after great album. Since their hiatus from 2011-2014 the band has bounced back with the incredible Long Live and now they have spent two years working on the soon to be released In Our Wake, an all album that showcases Atreyu at their diverse best.
Atreyu hit the ground screaming with opening track ‘In Our Wake’, it is manic, there are instruments screeching and then in comes Alex Varkatzas at full steam, and you just know that you are onto something very, very special. From here on Atreyu take you on a heartfelt journey where they are willing to let their sound evolve mid track if needs be.
Considering that the band have admitted that they wrote the album during the period where they were feeling the loss of both Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell there is very little surprise that the heartfelt nature of lyrics dwells on things like life and death. The sharp ‘House Of Gold’ reflects ‘you give me a reason to feel like I am alive’ and it reveals a depth and meaning that flow throughout the album.
‘The Time Is Now’ sees the band dip into anthem mode before it is amps up to 11 with more intense and confronting ‘Nothing Will Ever Change.’ A real rap element creeps into ‘Blind, Deaf & Dumb’ which wouldn’t sound out of place on a Limp Bizkit album while the band again slows down for ‘Terrified’ and ‘Safety Pin.’
As I mentioned earlier Atreyu are never scared to mess around with their sound and that again shows with the almost punk like ‘Into The Open’ while the distorted vocals of ‘No Control’ gives it an alternative Johnny Cash country feel to it. The catchiness of ‘Paper Castle’s’ let’s burn it down is going to be infectious live while ‘Anger Left Behind’ feels like its tempo is out of control in a good way. Then the album closes with the six minute epic ‘Super Hero’ a track that certainly conjures up images of our fallen music icons of the past few years.
In Our Wake is a complex album that sees Atreyu really take a huge step forward. So often people view metalcore with an upturned nose but the band has shown just how vast and diverse metalcore can be as they experiment with their sound like a band on the run while delivering emotional lyrics that really make the listener stop and think. In Our Wake takes a bit to grow on your but once it has it is there forever.
