Atreyu

Word on the streets of the suburbs is that Atreyu's new record pales in comparison to their past work on Tribunal. The usual cries of "sell-out" and its sounds have gone up from those manning the scene from behind their computers in the sanctity of their parents' basements. This may or may not be a step back for the band, I can't tell, as this is the first time I've actually heard them, but there isn't a single aspect of this album that screams out of overt uniqueness or originality. The cover art could be any hardcore record and the graphic design is pretty, but pretty ordinary. Musically, the band doesn't rewrite hard/metal-core, but they ply their wares quite nicely. Their sound parallels that of Darkest Hour, in that it sounds like American hardcore kids who stumbled across At The Gates and In Flames (or maybe even Kreator, if they're old enough), but with the added bonus of touches of melodic emo guitar work in parts. It's a case of a band that are very, very good at what they do but need to concentrate on developing the entire package if they wish to make any real impact. Then again, if they just wish to keep going about their merry way, at least they have some decent music behind them.