ATREYU
The Beautiful Dark Of Life (Spinefarm)
Southern California metalcore combo Atreyu, tellers of the human condition, are back. The Beautiful Dark Of Life, the band’s ninth album, is a 15-track compilation taken from three recently released EPs, plus three new offerings.
Brandon Saller’s vocals – clean and unclean – blend with the music, and there are some impressive guitar riffs and solos from Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel. Throughout the album there are flashes of brilliance: Insomnia with its catchy pop rhythm, Watch Me Burn with its anthemic chorus, and the emotional Forever More all stand out.
Atreyu’s bid to transcend genre can make their work a little chaotic, as if they can’t quite decide on a style, and some tracks have interesting elements that don’t necessarily fit together – God/Devil is particularly disjointed. Overall, though, this is a solid collection.
words LYNDA NASH