“I keep having nightmares of not waking up.“
Formed in 1998 and surviving one band breakup so far, Atreyu has had a lengthy tenure in the scene. Fondly remembered by many long time metalcore fans, they were characterised by a sound that combined elements of heavy metal, emo, melodic death metal, and hardcore punk. In 2020, original member and screamer Alex Varkatzas departed from the band. This saw a shift in sound for the band towards the worn-out arena metal route, with 2021’s Baptize leading their underwhelming charge. Perhaps this new EP, aptly titled A Hope Of A Spark, will be the rejuvenation that this band needs.
With the song title alone, “Drowning” already raises some concerns. The track attempts to subvert any expectations with an energetic punk opening riff, but all hope gets flushed as soon as the vocals come in; the chorus is especially tiresome, making use of water-inspired metaphors to give us such gems as, “I’m drowning. Head underwater, I’m alone,” and “I’m drowning, caught in the undertow.” With lyrical themes that have been done to death by The Amity Affliction and Wage War but with none of the impact, the track feels painfully amateur.
Following track “God Devil” continues down this slippery slope, with a confusing talk-scream verse that reeks of the sweat of a packed arena, although that is clearly the audience they are targeting. The chorus is yet again another insufferable cliche, with the line “God or the devil, can you see me? Can you hear my call?” shutting down any hope this track has at being original. The somewhat impressive solo in the bridge is a fleeting moment of creativity and technicality which sadly fails to redeem this track.
Right from the first line, “Capital F“ had me bursting out in laughter. That, ultimately, is a common sentiment throughout The Hope Of A Spark‘s short tracklist, even as it plays itself completely straight. Lines like “Is it just me, or are we capital F fucked?” display the lyrical depth of this EP in all its nonexistent glory. The rest of the track tries to embody Beartooth instrumentally, but it feels more like a pair of worn dentures. Lyrically, it is yet another exhausting track about the state of the world and how we humans are destroying it. Because I’m sure we needed to hear it again from you. The aforementioned first line ends up being the main line of the chorus, a hook that would deter even the most gullible of fish. It is hammered into your head over and over, making the shortest track on the EP agonizing.
The EP ends on Watch Me Burn, which continues to build upon the already shaky foundation established. With woah-ohs and more overused metaphors (This time it’s about fire! Riveting!), the track sizzles out quickly. It couldn’t be clearer that it was engineered for big stadium crowds, lazily opting for cheap and bombastic songwriting over the raw, honest, and dynamic sounds of their early career.
Unfortunately for Atreyu, The Hope Of A Spark was lit with a damp match. This EP is a predictable step in the same direction as the previous album, pushing for a sound that has been attempted and botched by many older metalcore bands. With its boring and uninspired vocals and its amateur lyrical content, the release offers nothing of real substance, and it is a frustrating listen, even at just under 12 minutes. In the rare moments where the instrumentals try to stand out, they are immediately weighed down by this band’s reliance on cliche. With all that it has to offer, The Hope Of A Spark is an EP that is sure to please fans of modern Asking Alexandria.
2/10
The Hope Of A Spark will be released this Friday, April 14th, via Spinefarm Records, and you can preorder it here.