Album Review: Congregation Of The Damned by Atreyu

True to its title, Congregation of the Damned is a much darker album than anything else that Atreyu has has released to date. The album shows Atreyu, 11 years after forming, for lack of a better word, “maturing. ” Mind you, “mature” is the type of word that may send stalwart metal fans to make like Iron Maiden and run for the hills, a word usually reserved for referring to a band adopting a trendier, more radio-friendly/neutered sound in an attempt to be taken more seriously (à la Green Day).

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Let's get this out in the open; Atreyu are a mainstream melodic metal band that provide easy listening but little kudos... Let's get this out in the open; Atreyu are a mainstream melodic metal band that provide easy listening but little kudos. However, they write a damn good chorus and frankly 'Congregation Of The Damned' is hook city. It features little of the pop pretending of 'Lead Sails Paper Anchor', but plays with the boundaries of metallic ambiguity enough to snare back their disenchanted fan base - 'Bleeding Is A Luxury' case in point.

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On their latest effort, Atreyu come with more of the same metalcore that listeners have come to expect from the band. All of the familiar elements are in place, with the alternating screaming/soaring vocals, thundering double bass drumming, and big, crunchy riffage. Following the trend from their last album, the band takes a (relatively) mellower and more melodic approach, though there are certainly flashes of the younger, more visceral and cathartic Atreyu here and there.

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