Long Live is a triumphant return to form for metal trailblazers Atreyu. Their hotly anticipated sixth album comes off the back of a three-year hiatus, during which each member of the five-piece actively pursued other musical projects.
In 2014, guitarist Dan Jacobs took the first steps to reuniting the band by calling a meeting to discuss their future. Those initial meetings exposed the fact that vocalist Alex Varkatzas wanted to focus primarily on perfecting his hard vocal technique and do away with any clean vocals going forward. At that point, drummer Brandon Saller stepped up to the plate and offered to take on the challenge of singing while he played. Now with everyone on board, Atreyu got to work in their Orange County rehearsal space and Long Live began to take shape.
The title track opens the album with Saller’s characteristically ferocious double-kick drumming, before Varkatzas launches into a full-throttle vocal assault to the senses. Do You Know Who You Are has stadium anthem written all over it, while Moments Before Dawn showcases their ability to exercise subtlety in order to set an overall tone. Long Live closes with Reckless, a hard-hitting track that highlights Jacobs’ experience as a rhythm guitarist and Varkatzas’ willingness to experiment with his vocals. Not since 2004’s The Curse have Atreyu produced such a fine body of work. Long live the mighty Atreyu.
BY NATALIE ROGERS
