Atreyu – New Album Available For Streaming In Its Entirety
You can stream ATREYU’s upcoming new album Lead Sails Paper Anchor online in its entirety over at the band’s official MySpace page. The album will be released on August 28th through Hollywood Records.
In related news, MTV.com reports: ATREYU singer Alex Varkatzas used to deal with severe anxiety by taking antidepressant and anti-anxiety medication including Lexapro and Klonopin, which helped him work and tour without suffering from panic attacks. However, for the writing and recording of ATREYU’s new album Lead Sails Paper Anchor, Varkatzas went cold turkey and let his emotional upheaval inform the band’s songs even more directly. Of course, as any psychiatric worker will tell you, being off your meds can have its drawbacks as well.
“I lose my mind a couple times a day now,” Varkatzas admitted. “But I try to deal with my emotions instead of hiding behind them, and that’s something that’s new for me. In the past, I always used to drink or take a pill. Now I’m learning to cope with reality.”
One of Varkatzas‘ main coping methods these days is writing lyrics, which is partially why new tracks like “Honor,” “Can’t Happen Here” and first single “Becoming the Bull” are so fraught with tension and aggression. But while Varkatzas is raging as hard as ever, he’s no longer ranting about getting dumped or betrayed. Instead, he’s addressing larger issues such as war, self-empowerment and the importance of family.
“I’m dealing with grown-up stuff now lyrically because that’s what’s going on in my life,” he said. “I’m 25 now. I bought a condo, so I’m dealing with the responsibilities of being a homeowner. I just had my grandpa pass away when I was on tour, and it was horrible that he was dying and I couldn’t go home. There was nothing I could do about it, and I had to learn to accept that.”
In addition to maturing as a lyricist, Varkatzas has branched out as a singer. With the help of vocal coach Ron Anderson and an awful lot of persistence, Varkatzas is no longer leaving all the melodic parts up to drummer Brandon Saller. Sure, Saller’s honey-sweet voice washes through many of the choruses, but Varkatzas has learned to carry a tune as well, and now offers a variety of voices including a more powerful roar (”Can’t Happen Here“), pained croon (”Lead Sails [And a Paper Anchor]“) and Vince Neil-style yowl (”Blow“).
“This is the most nervous I think I’ve ever been for a record,” Varkatzas admitted. “I wanted to do something different and to live up to my potential, so I worked really hard to be able to handle the singing parts. I’m still not a natural singer, but when I set my mind to something, I refuse to take no for an answer.”
Various stylistic nuances also contribute to the album’s fresh feel. “Falling Down” is a shuffling romp that sounds like a metallic GREEN DAY with horns; “Becoming the Bull” is embellished with industrial effects; and “Slow Burn” features pedal-steel guitar.
“This album isn’t just about guitars, bass, drums and vocals,” Saller said. “There are strings, opera vocals, hand claps, mandolins, Turkish saz — anything we could think of that seemed cool at the time.”
Contributing to the diversity of the album was producer John Feldmann (Goldfinger, The Used), who encouraged ATREYU to push their boundaries and take chances. “He really helped us with our structuring, and figuring out what works and what didn’t, and bringing a different set of ideas to our band than we would normally have,” Varkatzas said. “But we put in a lot of really long and hard days. He’d make me come up with lyrics on the spot and push me so hard. I would work my ass off and try as hard as I could, and then John would go, ‘You know, that’s good, but you can do better.’ But that pushing helped us all get to new levels on this record.”
In the end, ATREYU created their most diverse and ambitious album — a disc that should shatter the metalcore box they’ve been forced into and help earn them a new following that appreciates good, challenging music. At the same time, many of the elements on Lead Sails Paper Anchor are poppier than past excursions — occasionally bordering on LINKIN PARK territory.
“This is definitely a metal record, but there’s more to it as well,” Saller said. “There are rock and roll, punk and even almost dance aspects. But in essence, it’s a true ATREYU record. This is where we come from. This is what we are.”
(+43 rating, 21 votes)
just stop being a band. like 50 people used to care. but then they hit puberty.
I was a fan of Atreyu’s whenver their first three albums and their greatest hits album. They have lost me with this one. If I wanted to listen to Papa Roach then I would pop in a Papa Roach record. To me, this just sounds like Papa Roach’s “The Paramour Sessions” which wasn’t a good album to begin with. Ever since Papa Roach changed his sound (back when they released “lovehatetragedy”), they have sucked. They have maintained that same sound throughout their career now and Atreyu has adopted it.
It sucks as there is some real talent in Atreyu but I won’t be purchasing this album.
^^ What they said. Never thought I’d say this about an Atreyu album even with all the shit I get for liking them but…. pure shit. So fucking horrible. Band has lost touch with what made them a deent band and has gone into horrible territory. Will not be buying this load of crap.
they lost it long before this record.
This album sucks, don’t even bother.
i agree that they are going to way of papa roach. that bull song is junk. it’s a shame, this band could have been something.
For all you people who think they suck… grow up.
Stop wearing make up.
Wash the grease out of your hair.
And take a shower while your at it.
Atreyu has come such a long way to have narb’s such as yourselves busting on them.
They went mainstream OMG!! No they suck now..No they dont they sell record’s and will continue to so stop being baby’s about their change this is what they wanted to do…IF you were a real fan you’d stick by what they did not cry about it and complain about how much it sucked.
I think there’s some really catchy choruses but idk…it’s just not brutal enough for me…i prefer the curse any day! Lyrically I think the curse was the best and Suicide Notes too. They wrote things in such a cryptic, poetic, brutal way I just love it. Even without poetry, they described pain in such a magnificent way. Ain’t Love Grand…really brutal. I think some of their best lyrics besides every track on The Curse!