Atlases: Upbringing

Artist: Atlases
Title: Upbringing
Format Reviewed: MP3
Format Release: 20th January 2014
Reviewed By: Ben Chapman

Upbringing marks an impressive first album from Berkshire metalcore quintet Atlases. Though flawed it’s an undeniably firm debut, the production being consistently professional.

Opening track Betrayer starts with a strong guitar riff that struts out a heavy and bouncing melody in a nicely jarring rhythm and some spiky, white-hot distortion. The precise drumming makes this unpredictable rhythm sound natural, a testament to how Upbringing’s tightly performed instrumentation takes the listener through a well composed, if perhaps at times formulaic, brand of metal. The song is given depth with a beautifully orchestrated breakdown towards the end before dramatically returning us to the familiar stomping ground of the kick-face riffing.

Followed by Secret Keeper, we’re treated to a continuation of the watertight musicianship of the opener, this time with faster and catchier lead guitar parts full of stabby momentum. There’s a greatly enjoyable pace to this track. A sustain-rich guitar melody helps carry the track towards the end before things start to sound drawn out.

My Testament shows that Atlases have perhaps followed doctrine too far. Though technically proficient, the resulting music is not as catchy as it should be. It’s hard to fault such precise execution from this up and coming band, but unfortunately it seems that the vocals sound a bit too much at points. Almost typically overdone, sometimes a bit too loud in the mix, the vocals do begin to grind slightly here. Though passably strong and convincing, the shouting is a little too polished, and though it’s just my opinion, would benefit from sounding a bit more raw and honest: I found myself longing for that effectively manic screaming style heard in more original heavy acts such as Glassjaw.

My Testament’s opening features an overuse of screaming flung in straight away, shouting for the sake of it, a musical false start that takes the listener out of the experience, reaching its peak before the other instruments have even thought about getting as heavy. When they finally do, it’s actually pretty good, and again the musical skill redeems any pickiness, the instruments merging well with the chorus; the vocals, when in context, definitely have a certain worth in their contribution. In short the music is effective, the vocal achieving a capable unity with the excellently tight instrumental performance, yet at times is an unnecessary distraction.

The metal throughout Upbringing is good, but it’s almost as if the band have tried to sound too metal. Again, it’s the vocal’s forcefulness in trying to sound the part that results in the screaming sounding paradoxically dispassionate. The beefy metal scream heard here, though not intrinsically wrong, is typical, an oversubscription to the metal form, and when over-wielded this vocal style has become almost cheesy. Unfortunately metal cheeses can’t be comfortably swallowed.

Though obviously very resentful music, the anger is occasionally difficult to take seriously, it’s only when the vocals work with the guitars and other instruments that its full effect is heard. The band manage to achieve this balance pleasingly on Deepest Dark, arguably the saviour of the album. This track makes everything sound as if it’s in the right place: waves of twangy distortion, skilfully stumbling cymbal-heavy drumming, and a considered build-up with dramatic breaks and rumbling bass tones make a quality backdrop in which the vocals are at ease and can tear through the ears with appropriate style.

Neither does final track Consume Deny disappoint. Satisfyingly choppy chords power throughout the tune with a heavy groove, alternating between an almost laid back ring out of distortion and a busier serrated rhythm of mutes and dexterous strumming. Some subtle double-bass pedal fills complete the song’s brooding effect. A redeeming vocal performance that improves upon the album’s earlier tracks is welcome and far more suited to this tune.

Though some points of this brief album are a struggle, it is indeed a grower, the vocal difficulties seem less of an issue with repeat listens and the performance warrants such replays. Upbringing would still make an impressive feat for any band, let alone a band that have only being playing together for little more than a year. Atlases deliver some effective though safe hard metal that must make for a powerful live performance, something that fans of the genre should undoubtedly be looking out for in the coming years.


Upbringing is available now.