The Scale of Things to Come
Age of Atlas
May 19, 2014
Independent release
Age of Atlas
May 19, 2014
Independent release
Age of Atlas describe themselves as a mathy hard rock band somewhere in between Coheed & Cambria, Tides of Man, Corelia, Deftones, Kings X, Hum, Soundgarden, and your dad's mum's dad's mum's dad. If that is anything to go on, this debut EP will be loud, very loud but also quite melodic.
The EP opens with The Scale Of Things To Come, which is definitely loud but also holds a sort of progressive undertone and a lot of drive. Production-wise there are some remarks to make but lets just put that aside since this is a self-released debut EP. Once the song gets going the vocals gain a little power and while the timing isn't always impeccable instrumentally, there's a strong dynamic between vocals and instrumentals and it shows that the initial expectation of loud and melodic wasn't far off. There really is a song beneath the layers because if you strip it down, what you're left with has a couple of good hooks and could easily be reworked in different arrangements. It shows promising songwriting and versatility.
New Raise has a typical (hard) rock feel to it. Whereas the timing was off occasionally on the opening track, it is dead on here. The shifts in volume due to the lack of production actually works to the song's advantage as it creates extra depth. Due to the balanced arrangement of the song, the vocals are clearly present and mesh well with the attitude of the song. I would imagine this song is a live favorite among the fans this band has and will gain.
The rest of the EP follows much in the vain of the first two tracks. On Calcifer the keys actually play an interesting role and provide for a refreshing balance to the heavy guitar work while Wilkins has a cool rhythmic arrangement and fast-paced energy to it.
Closer Impersonating a Dead Acrobat is the proverbial 'best for last'. The track is pure rock bliss. The passionate vocals and the pulsing guitars fuel the song which sorts even more effect due to the calm breathers it features througout the song. The scales halfway through the song are a smart insertion into the arrangement als they bridge the fast-paced first half with the subdued bridge that leads back to the power in the final moments of the song.
"The Scale of Things to Come" is a very promising first statement by Age of Atlas. I don't really hear the bands they compared themselves with maybe with the exception of a touch of C&C and Hum but I would consider that a good thing. The band is zeroing in on a sound of their own that sounds relevant and recognizable. With a bit more experience under their belts and proper production tools, their next record could very well be an instant hit among (hard) rock fans and fans of edgy alternative music with a melodic nature.
The EP opens with The Scale Of Things To Come, which is definitely loud but also holds a sort of progressive undertone and a lot of drive. Production-wise there are some remarks to make but lets just put that aside since this is a self-released debut EP. Once the song gets going the vocals gain a little power and while the timing isn't always impeccable instrumentally, there's a strong dynamic between vocals and instrumentals and it shows that the initial expectation of loud and melodic wasn't far off. There really is a song beneath the layers because if you strip it down, what you're left with has a couple of good hooks and could easily be reworked in different arrangements. It shows promising songwriting and versatility.
New Raise has a typical (hard) rock feel to it. Whereas the timing was off occasionally on the opening track, it is dead on here. The shifts in volume due to the lack of production actually works to the song's advantage as it creates extra depth. Due to the balanced arrangement of the song, the vocals are clearly present and mesh well with the attitude of the song. I would imagine this song is a live favorite among the fans this band has and will gain.
The rest of the EP follows much in the vain of the first two tracks. On Calcifer the keys actually play an interesting role and provide for a refreshing balance to the heavy guitar work while Wilkins has a cool rhythmic arrangement and fast-paced energy to it.
Closer Impersonating a Dead Acrobat is the proverbial 'best for last'. The track is pure rock bliss. The passionate vocals and the pulsing guitars fuel the song which sorts even more effect due to the calm breathers it features througout the song. The scales halfway through the song are a smart insertion into the arrangement als they bridge the fast-paced first half with the subdued bridge that leads back to the power in the final moments of the song.
"The Scale of Things to Come" is a very promising first statement by Age of Atlas. I don't really hear the bands they compared themselves with maybe with the exception of a touch of C&C and Hum but I would consider that a good thing. The band is zeroing in on a sound of their own that sounds relevant and recognizable. With a bit more experience under their belts and proper production tools, their next record could very well be an instant hit among (hard) rock fans and fans of edgy alternative music with a melodic nature.
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