GOSSIP GIRL VIEWERS CELEBRATE THE ARRIVAL OF ATREYU’S CONGREGATION OF THE DAMNED
Thursday, October 1st, 2009 at 12:00pm by Axl Rosenberg
The hype around Congregation of the Damned is that it’s a return to Atreyu’s older metalcore (excuse me, “metallic rock”) outings. This is bullshit. Congregation is another ham fisted arena rock failure posing as one of Atreyu’s metalcore albums.
Now, inevitably, some punk is gonna come around here and say “Atreyu’s sound could never stay the same forever, and why would they want it to, and blah blah blah, pee.” To which I say: well, I’m not the one going around telling people this album is going to sound nothing like Lead Sails and a Plug-in Vagina. The dudes from Atreyu are.
So these songs still seem like they’d feel just as home on some pop-punk album by a band with a number in its name. They still had to auto-tune the mother luvin’ shit outta Brandon Saller, who should stop being a terrible singer and stick to being a ho-hum drummer. Alex Varkhoweverthefuckyouspellit is still, like, a half a step away from rapping (Although no one ever shouts “Fight fight fight ’til the break of dawn” like they did on Lead Sails and a Pepper Asshole). My dog’s decisions about where to hide my socks in the morning remain more creative and adventurous than Atreyu’s sense of songcraft.
To be fair, listening to this album didn’t always make me wish I’d been born deaf. I was totally willing to go along with “So Wrong” until the vocals started. The guitar solo on “Lonely” is simple but nice. “Wait for You,” a power ballad that sounds like it’s being sung by a chorus of computers, kind of reminds me of an old Tiffany song, and even though I never liked Tiffany, I had an older (female – duh) cousin who did, so it at least takes me back. And there’s a string section thingy on “Bleeding is a Luxury” that I enjoyed, even if a gajillion other bands have done it better. I’m a sucker for string section thingys.
But the songs are almost universally ill-advised, and the album is generally about as exciting as watching a corpse rot. When reviewing Lead Sails and a Pamplona Rancor two years ago I said that Atreyu were heavily influenced by Metallica’s Load, and “Black Days Begin” proves that I’m right. “You Were the King, Now You’re Unconscious” will be loved by Lord of the Dance fans everywhere. And at least one song, “Gallows,” just made me wanna stab myself in the ear drums with John Holmes-sized cocks.
In short: this album isn’t really competent, but it’s not laughably bad, either. Attack Attack! is a band that will still have camp value in ten years – in fact, I think the reality of how popular they were will just make the whole thing funnier, like how we feel now looking back at Enuff Z’Nuff. That’s rough news for Atreyu: Congregation of the Damned might not be the worst album of the year, but it’s certainly one of the most forgettable.
(1 1/2 out of 5 horns)
-AR
“My DOG’S [sic] decisions about where to hide my socks in the morning remain more creative and adventurous than Atreyu’s sense of songcraft.”
Nervermind Atreyu, let’s discuss the important things in life: How IS your baby these days?
haha. I wanna hear more about your DOG, axl!!!
The only congregation of the damned I care about is one that involves Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible
someone should really just nuke Orange County already…imagine wasting an entire county of shitty metalcore, neo-Nazi’s, and Republicans in one move!
Ateyu,18V and AX7 all in one fell swoop? That, my friend, is a fantastic idea.
Got my vote.
I had the “privilege” of working Lead Sails..and whatever the fuck a few years back. It was probably the least fun moment of my career. hahaha
You know, we rip on Attack Attack! here all the time… but Ateryu seriously was the original crabcore band, if not one of the first. They always have sucked, and they always will. Not to mention, they wore eyeliner pretty extensively back in the day.
I saw Atreyu quite a few times back in the day and they definitely never did the crabcore thing as far as I’m aware.
My name is Lord Bling, and I approve of this message.
So maybe they didn’t do the crab poses, but Atreyu has always sucked.
I don’t think atreyu did the crabcore thing.. I had the displeasure of seeing them 5 or so years ago and they just acted like a hair metal band.
The devil wears prada on the other hand.. they definitely did the crabcore thing.
I am sorry for my ignorance but since I am not an US citizen I am not familiar with some terminology…
eeerr… anyway, I guess what am trying to say is: What is crabcore ??
bands who squat incredibally low while playing. look up attack attack on youtube and youll know what im talking about.
and its not a national thing. you must be new to metal sites too
“incredibally”…the greatest unintentional pun ever
wow i used to listen to the curse a lot, oh wait i still do, (dont tell anyone)
Same. I absolutely love that CD.
lol Tough crowd.
The fact that I once bought an Atreyu CD (it was on a friend’s recommendation… needless to say, I’m not friends with him any more) is a source of great sorow for myself.
Did the same here. It was the Butterfly Kisses one. I should have realized right there, from the name of the album and the name of the band that it was gonna suck. This band has always and will always be horrible garbage, just like Avenged Sevenfold.
Atreyu’s sound could never stay the same forever, and why would they want it to, and blah blah blah, pee.
+666
“Lead Sails and a Plug-in Vagina”
“Lead Sails and a Pepper Asshole”
“Lead Sails and a Pamplona Rancor”
THAT made me lol a lot
I think the only good thing atreyu ever made was “fractures in the facade of your porcelain beauty”
after that everything is as important as a french toast
That EP sounds literally the same as their first cd but with worse production. They even have 3 of the same songs. How the hell anyone likes that more than anything else baffles me.
Personal opinion, I don’t enjoy overproduced albums.
aahhh… so you must have been that one guy that liked St Anger. i always wondered who that was….
lol ain’t you a little pony
grow up man
you just hear someone who doesn’t have the same opinion as yours and you start bashing without any knowledge whatsoever. Learn to respect people’s opinions.
No, actually, i was the only guy who liked St. Anger. But hey, what do i know? I also think Load is better than Kill Em All.
Excited for this album, btw.
I disagree, french toast is mad important yo.
I second that, French toast is a delicious morning treat and doesn’t deserve to be compared to this crappy band
lol
…then, it’s as important as a morning sh¡t?
Absolutely
Run, Atreyu, the nothing is coming! And by the nothing, I mean a dearth of fans over 12. The Never Ending Bore…y.
fuck atreyu… they blow ass..
Fuck You Atreyu Has More Fucking Talent then that, ur just a fucking dip-shit to see that, just cause u were abused as a child doesnt mean you can say shit about a good band, get a fucking life
I love atreyu and always will and all haters need to get a life and realize music is music atreyu isnt trying to be death metal so how can you say they sold out on death metal and when you change styles it means you are exploring which is part of what music is all about its clear to me that everyone here is not a true music fan or metal fan cause if you were you would support all metal and all music close to that genre including metalcore and whatever else oh year and A7x rules too if ive pissed any of you all off im glad
ROCK MUSIC RULES! ALL OF IT
K here is a message to all atreyu fans that come on these boards…
FUCK OFF. THIS IS SERIOUSLY GETTING FUCKING RIDICULOUS!
I am a die hard Atreyu fan and am completely willing to defend them (well not really for lead sails paper anchor because Alex’s clean vocals strike me as kind of pitchy and annoying for the most part), but you guys have to fucking stop. STOP. YOU FUCKING DESTROY EVERY LEGITIMATE ARGUMENT/OPINION EVERY TIME YOU SLAP A KEYBOARD WHEN YOU WRITE SHIT LIKE,
“Fuck You Atreyu Has More Fucking Talent then that, ur just a fucking dip-shit to see that, just cause u were abused as a child doesnt mean you can say shit about a good band, get a fucking life”
The reason for this is that this isn’t a reason, it isn’t an argument, and it IS FUCKING NOT ANYTHING THAT WILL CONVINCE ANYBODY OF ANYTHING OTHER THEN THE IDEA THAT YOU ARE A FUCKING ASSHOLE. So please don’t make me seem like a fucking mongoloid every time i turn on my computer.
All you accomplish is being ridiculously vulgar without the hopes of accomplishing anything.
Just…wow. I cannot believe that review is credited. Oh wait, it’s not. That is by far the worst written review I have ever read. Seriously, how can you regard what someone says who uses words like “gajillion” (not a real number) and “string section thingy.” Congratulations, you have just made yourself sound like an idiot. You are aware there are people that go to college and actually know how to write reviews, right? You are very apparently not one of them.
u guys are all douche bags…i sincerely hope you die…let atreyu do whatever the fuck they wanna do.. good god you losers need to get a life. nobody is making you listen to it.
Dude thanks for proving my point. I am a huge Atreyu fan. Like my favorite band for years. But then people like you come on here and fuck that up for me. ***Read my above comment***
haha wow you guys are a bunch of twats. who said you had to listen to it anyways. I’m sure a lot of the crap you guys listen to blows pretty bad, so get a life and quit ripping on people’s taste in music. Who made you guys experts when it comes to music anyways…
Lead Sails blows. A Death Grip on Yesterday will always be my favorite album from them.
Ditto.
Axl. this review rules. You are the man. Dont get me wrong i think some of the songs on the first 3 albums are good. But once lead sails it i knew it was over
^ What my good friend nick said. The first 3 albums i personaly thought were good, lead sail paper dick was god awful. I had high hopes when i heard they were going back to their old style which i truly liked. Then i heard the half-douche, half- rap i knew they were gone forever to the tools.
And to all the fuckin kids trolling this. Nobody made you read this article. Go back to pac sun and jack off or something.
ya!
i lolled. HARD. in the middle of Western Civ class. fuck you
Download
Atreyu – Congregation Of The Damned (2009)
Here
http://wanukore.com/atreyu-congregation-of-the-damned-2009-descargar-download/
I’ve always liked Atreyu personally, but this album is a major disappointment. I was expecting too much, however, and knew I was wrong to believe when they said it would be heavier. I should have known they were lying about that. I’m one of few people I know who actually liked the exploration they did for Lead Sails, but this album just ruins everything. I’m utterly disappointed in it.
This album rocks. Better than Lead Sails and A Deathgrip but not the rest. The Bonus tracks are Suicide Notes worthy(No clean screaming from Alex). IT IS HEAVIER AND DARKER THAN LEAD SAILS.
Also, EPIC was Bad Ass!!