Atreyu is back! Their seventh studio album, Long Live dropped September 18th, 2015. Its the band’s first studio album in just under six years with the prior release of ‘Congregation of the Damned (2009)’ and it did not disappoint. The album contains the mixings for fans who dig the ‘Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (2002)’ days and for the fans who enjoyed the newer side of Atreyu; ‘Lead Sails Paper Anchor (2007).’
The collision of different Atreyu styles worked together really well for this album. The harmonizing, infectious chorus’ led by Brandon Saller’s vocals resonate in your head and the next time it comes around, you’ll be belting those lyrics just as hard as he is. When the tempo picks up and the band takes off, Alex Varkatzas’ screams are punishing, sounding better than ever, and help tie the deep breakdowns together.
What stood out to me on this album and what it has to offer is the showcase that is Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel. These two found what made their guitars work together and utilized every inch of it. Musically, the duo were hard to miss on most of the album and complimented each other every step of the way. Their playing was intricate, fun, and left hair raised on my neck and forearms on some points of the record.
The album surprised the hell out of me with just how heavy some sections of it were. The band executes their breakdowns well throughout, while keeping up the songs’ momentum. ‘Cut Off the Head’ stood out to me due to the “Give back your heart, Cut out your heart” line that accompanied the break down. The lyrics are truly well done throughout. Atreyu kept their writing dark but also injected some very uplifting moments.
‘Long Live’ does contain some slower moments. ‘Revival’ and ‘Do You Know Who You Are?’ are back to back and the band quickly picks the momentum back up after showing you their softer side. Only a couple songs didn’t really stand out to me. They were good but less memorable than the majority and seemed out of place. I was hugely impressed by the band’s growth in sound and writing here. This album, ‘Long Live’ is going to appeal to an Atreyu fan no matter which style you were more into on past efforts.
Rating: [star rating=”4″]