Review Summary: Post-something-core. Whatever, you'll like it.
Let’s get this out of the way early: Atlas At Last is a pretty awful name for a band. It conjures up images of kiddie chug-chug hardcore acts and pop punkers, and while the band does borrow elements from both genres they can’t quite seem to stick to one in particular. Over the six songs on the self-titled EP, Atlas At Last play their own brand of post-hardcore, that whilst sometimes undefinable always manages to keep a foot firmly planted in emo. Any doubt of this classification is dispelled with lines like “Stop saying I'm so delicate, you pluck my kisses like violins being played right by my ear drums”, a confusing simile that is sung, yelled, and repeated to the listener on Flora. That’s not to say Atlas At Last spend their 26 minute EP simply whining and moping, they tend to live more on the border of angry and sad rather than wholly depressed. Sometimes it’s hard to tell though, the lyrics are at times undecipherable without reading them, and even then they’re full of bizarre metaphors and almost non sequiturs (see: “The scientists cause riots at the sight of a ghost because their sugared sedatives aren't quite falling in rows”). When they hit it, however, they hit it hard. “God forbid my lips crack at the thought of you wanting me back. Don't flatter yourself - you are my failing” from Malleable reeks of sharp resentment and damage, and the screaming delivery itself is astounding in its fury.
In fact, one of biggest strengths on the EP is the vocal performance. Atlas At Last manage to combine piercing screeches, clean passages, and frantic yelps while at the same time having insanely catchy melodies. This is displayed perhaps most prominently on opener Atlas, “And how the tides change, tectonics rearranged. My fix of asphyxiation raised, it’s crushing how you’ve stayed the same” a melodic chorus of sorts delivered over simple power chords before diving headfirst into the song’s midsection at a breakneck speed. The song later reaches a momentary reprieve, only to descend back into the madness for a final chorus. Structurally speaking, these stop-starts are typical of the band – a brief moment to catch your breath and then back to a thousand miles an hour in a different direction.
Instrumentally, the band are on point. The guitar work in particular is impressive in its variety, with punk themed blisters, crushing hardcore moments, soaring clean passages, and playful riffs. The clean sections are often just as captivating to listen to as the frantic riffing displayed on the majority of the EP. “In The Company Of…” sports a beautiful clean guitar part that leaves you smiling and nodding along right up until the screaming and distortion kicks in. One of the more interesting instrumental sections on the EP is found in Flora, where the song abruptly falls into a clean lull of bass and guitar work, before pounding drums and whining distortion signals the approaching devastation. The crescendo is immense and deftly done, the entire section sounds like it could have been pulled from a post metal record. Peculiar though, is how Flora carries on after this in its almost pop punk fashion which arrives just as suddenly as the lull - as if it never happened in the same song.
Atlas At Last have produced an impressive record, especially considering the underwhelming name. The band goes from strength to strength with their 6 tracks, and the EP comes off sounding as a cohesive piece of work rather than a collection of songs - each song is skilfully crafted and structured, maintaining a certain uniqueness from each other while still being unified in their sound. With their own little niche now planted, Atlas At Last have a firm base to build from for future releases, and their distinct sound is wide enough that listeners won’t know exactly what to expect – but expect this: it will be good.
