Another Monday night gig in Belfast and this time we have Californian outfit Atreyu here in support of their most recent album “The Beautiful Dark of Life”, album number nine for these guys doesn’t seem that long ago since they first broke on the scene, but it has been just over 20 years, decent turn out in here tonight so let’s get stuck into the set!
Drowning – Straight out with a track from the new album, well it’s certainly a punishing opening riff before it breaks down straight away nearly into a very electronic sounding verse, big chorus for sure on this one, the way you go from that heavy riff into then the verse, I would love more of that heavy riff, short and to the point!
Becoming the Bull – Off to 07’s “Lead Sails Paper Anchor”, That’s a fist in the air headbanger of a riff to kick this one off, a real sort of groove to the verse part before the tom groove hits in for the chorus and it’s a familiar sound with the slow chords and the melodic vocal part, I love that half time pull off riff before it breaks down and then hits that massive chorus again!
Right Side of the Bed – Reaching way back to 2004’s “The Curse” album, this highlights where the band started and to where they have now developed their sound to, this none sounds a lot more generic of the time than what they newer material does, yeah you have screaming and clean vocals and the big choruses, but the way the newer material sounds compared to this to me is just night and day difference!
Save Us –2021’s “Baptize” album up next, I love that bouncy riff at the start like a sickly sliding riff and then it breaks into the clean guitar and vocal but its building and instead of a clean chorus it goes into the Save Us gang chant, I love the way this one is built up as a song, it’s really clever and the song is really catchy and just flows so well!
Falling Down– 07’s “Lead Sails”, this one is so reminding me of another track, and I cannot put my finger on what it is, once it hits the chorus then it is unmistakenly these guys and a good few people singing shake it off in the chorus part, real party vibe on this one and the Heys in the middle have people shouting back at the band, nice solo, love the groove on this one, great track!
The Time is Now – 2019’s “In Our Wake” album next, a slow driving floor tom groove to start this one and then it follows into the verse part, that’s a real just groovy chorus part, great simple riff and a load of crowd participation and sing along on the chorus part, that middle section comes across heavy as hell live before we build up again into the last chorus!
Ex’s And Ohs – Death Grip on Yesterday album from 06 is up next, I really like that melody part over the riff at the start of this one, before it breaks down into the verse with a driving drum groove and sliding octave guitar part that carries on into the chorus, when they get heavy, they get heavy and this is one of those tracks, really liked this one, in case you haven’t guessed I don’t really know these guys but so far really entertaining!
I – Back to the new album for this one and I was pretty surprised they didn’t touch on more of this album so far, but this is noticeably heavier in the opening riff than a lot of the other stuff, It does break down into the verse, but I feel like it has a totally different feel than a lot of the other tracks, a lot more heft to it, and I really like it, that middle breakdown riff is savage, then bang we are back into that chorus!
Gone – Again on the new album, and much like the last track this has so much more weight to it, it’s just noticeably heavier, now that’s a chorus for sure, that will stick with you, great vocals in the chorus of this one, decently up there in range before it slams into that opening riff again, yeah that half time breakdown, slams, loving it, nice solo coming in, holding the melody and then a bit of flash around it, before it breaks and then into the chorus again, best track of the night so far!
Battle Drums – That’s like a Meshuggah guitar riff, and just a solid driving drum part, with the screaming vocals, then it absolutely slaps into the chorus part, I love that melodic guitar part before it really hits hard with that breakdown part, that one has got some bodies moving in here, absolutely banging track!
Watch Me Burn – Back to the new album again, that’s a meaty riff, then the harmonized part before it breaks down into the verse, before it starts to pick up with the guitars again as it leads into the chorus, again that’s massively catchy, I have to say that all the new tracks for me are head and shoulders above the other songs and that’s saying something as these guys are clearly for me just refining and getting better!
Warrior – Baptize album for this one, total headbanger of a groove at the start of this, not sure on this one, it loses a bit of momentum, the chorus on the other hand is massive and its clear with the amount of people singing away with it, great feel-good song!
Blow – Finishing off with this one, we are back to 07’s “Lead Sails”, (however there is a bonus track in here before this one starts, I won’t ruin the surprise you will just have to go see them) I mean on first listen this is pure Hollywood, Sunset Strip glam metal, Motley Crue sounding to me, I mean it’s a feel good way to tend the set but yeah this one is a bit leftfield from the rest of the set in feel, still a great track though!
Great set, as I said a few times, the stuff from the new album absolutely slays the other stuff for me, it’s so much heavier, not listened much to these guys before but great show, well worth going to see these guys on the rest of the tour if you can make it!
Review & Photography by MPM
