Customer Reviews

Lead Sails Paper Anchor (Clean) (Jewl)

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(25)

 

 

Atreyu is one of those bands that seems to polarize people. As with many other bands who have been around for several albums and have begun to make money, the hipsters cry foul because their band did the unthinkable and "sold out" (as if that phrase is any more relevant these days than the term "alternative.")

The point is, this album features a different Atreyu, but not one that is entirely unfamiliar. The screaming guitar solos are still firmly in place, the lyrics dripping with pain and tempered by sarcasm are still around, but now the blast-beats have been replaced with more experimental time-signatures and drumming styles, and the vocals, though still harsh, feature more musicality this time around.

If you go back and listen to the last few Atreyu albums you'll see a definite progression. Their music has gotten more complex, and this album is the pinnacle of that trend thus far. The trappings of metalcore have been pulled aside to allow us to see the boys as what they really are: older, wiser and better song-writers than they were in the "butterfly kisses" era.

The first track, "Doomsday," starts things off with a bang, featuring enough savagery to be on your driving in the city mix tape, but a sing-a-long chorus that might surprise you. "Falling Down" really shows that Atreyu wanted to try something different, with a totally different sound than they've EVER displayed before: Metalcore-swing? Perhaps. There are other highlights too, like the poppy "No One Cares" where tones of the guilty pleasure of Bon Jovi bleed through the angst and brutality. "Blow" sounds like the raw punk metal of The Letters Organize, only slowed down a bit... fun stuff. That's the key: Atreyu sounds like their actually having FUN. I know that doesn't sit right with the hipsters (fun isn't cool, you know) but it certainly makes for a fun listening experience.

To start off, Lead Sails Paper Anchor is EPIC, just like their bonus cover track. It almost makes me think they chose that song for that reason alone.

I've been a fan of Atreyu since Fractures, and not once have they ever disappointed. Every album they released brought something new to the table and this one is no different. The thing is, while every album was a new progession, the songs within that particular album sounded similar. With Lead Sails Paper Anchor, every song is a new step forward. Every track has it's own unique sound.

And it's not like they lost their old sound or identity, they just found new ways to incorporate it. Try listening to the intrumentals for The Curse and Death Grip, and then try focusing on the riffs to this album. Same addicting complexity, just applied differently. The screaming is still there, but now Alex has decided to give the "all I do is scream, period" role, and delve into more singing. The Theft was a precursor, and an encouraging one. Now Alex sings AND screams, and the tracks all have much more complexity.

When it really comes down to it, the band isn't under any sort of ownership of its fans. We aren't stockholders of Atreyu. They're going to do what they want and experiment with their sound. Sure Falling Down and Lead Sails (And a Paper Anchor) are in my opinion, kind of retarded, and sure I'll skip them, but that's me, and it won't have any effect on what they feel like doing.

If you're a REAL fan of Atreyu, do yourself a favor and get this album. If you're close-minded and you try throwing out terms like 'commercialization' and 'selling out', then go ahead and "blow those words out the back of your head."

Its Actually a good thing to see Atreyu progressing throughout their albums. Too many bands die because everything starts sounding like they copied their own music ( ie. Powerman 5000 ), which cant be said of Atreyu. The guys from New York have been able to turn out a much more complex and mature album every time, and to some that is leaving a bad taste in some people's mouths. Fans that want the same Atreyu again and again will be dissappointed...

Lead Sails Paper Anchor picks up right where A Death Grip on Yesterday left off. Less hardcore screaming will be had from Alex instead going for a more melodic style, complementing Saller's. Musically, the band has figured out how to write songs in expanded time signatures while also incorporating more sounds per song, in every sense expanding from " A Death Grip on Yesterday ". You'll find songs that sound epic, from slower ballads to harder tracks ( think " The Theft " from ADGOY ).

Part of the change has to be pointed towards the new label, which they signed a new contract with Hollywood Records earlier this year.

I personally like where the band is going. Die hard fans from long ago might easily be lost for fans of more melodic metal with less hardcore screaming. The musicianship expressed in Lead Sails Paper Anchor shows that Dan, Travis, and Marc are indeed getting older, wiser ( as stated in a previous review ), while also willing to grow musically and realize theres a lot more room for the band if they choose to change. Give it time, some fans will be lost guys, but broadening your sound has obvious benefits. Atreyu isn't going away any time soon.

I was never a fan of Atreyu myself but they are my boyfriend's favorite band so I've had to listen to them for a few years now. I think that their previous CDs have all sounded exactly the same with maybe one track being a ballad that stuck out. The lyrics have been juvenile rhyming messes and they sounded like every other screamo metal band.

This CD, though, has flipped my view on them. You can actually tell the tracks apart when just flipping though, they played with new sounds, experimented with their voices...I think it turned out great. I hate when bands aren't even allowed room to grow without a bunch of whiny kids saying they sold out. Who cares? This CD is an apparent growth of Atreyu and I think they've done a great job.

And to everyone saying they've sold out. "Blow those words out the back of your head." ;)

This cd is a great cd and no i dont wear girl jeans and no i dont wear make up. I am a fan of MUSIC and I think bands need to progress and mature as they get older and thats what Atreyu did. If it stayed the same the fan base wouldnt grow cause all the songs would run together and just sound the same. NO its not their hardest stuff by anymeans...but still a damn good album. SO if your a fan like i am of metal, rock, metalcore, or however the hell you rate albums this is a good good buy.

I am in no way against change, maturity, or broadening your audience, but I am still disappointed with this release. Atreyu had a few albums under their belt and had developed a nice sized fan base with their old material. Now comes Lead Sails Paper Anchor. Definately a sound unlike any heard on the previous releases. There is no screaming on the album whatsoever. This is not to say that I need screaming in a band for me to like it, but I already knew Atreyu as a screaming band. I liked his voice when he screamed. It's what drew my attention the first time I heard them. I'm not trying to say that Atreyu can't broaden their sound, but the change was distinct and abrupt. The thing that saddens me is that now there is no one who sounds like Atreyu. Lead Sails Paper Anchor sounds like The Used.( In fact when I heard one of the songs on the radio I thought it WAS The Used.) Atreyu was the only band I could go to to hear that certain kind of sound. Their new sound sounds like a hundred other bands out there. If you like the old sound of Atreyu stick with the older albums. If you like the newer sound than try Lies For Liars by The Used. Ultimately, this album takes them out of the category they used to be in and puts them at the middle of the pack of a brand new category. It's a shame.

Atreyu has intrigued me since I first heard thier name (I'm probably one of the few fans they have which remembers seeing the movie thier name comes from). As others have stated, this album is markedly different from thier previous offerings; it shows a band trying to expand it's musical repertoire, which as a musician I can understand-- however, they've expanded thier sound so far that they are almost unrecognizeable on most of these tracks. I actually had to double check the liner notes to see if they had suddenly replaced Alex V. with another vocalist, although thankfully some of the harmonies in choruses are maintained here, and I admit that the title track from this album is one of the better songs I've heard in awhile (and of course, a somewhat tongue-in-cheek cover of "Epic" made me smile).

I'm not going to go so far as to call this overly commercialized emo bandwagoning--after all, the music itself is prefectly acceptable, if not terribly original-- but when a band strays so far from it's signature sound (there are actually swing beats and horns on here, along with decidedly upbeat melodies) I would prefer they just use a different name and let the experiment stand or fall on it's own merit without the attachment of a recognized name.

Which, had they done that here, I suspect they might have been a few hundred thousand records short of thier goals. Recall the Chris Gaines experiment... yes, many mocked him, but at least Garth Brooks TRIED to seperate himself somewhat from his past achievements. The only missteps there were using his own picture on the album cover, and taking his "alter-ego" so seriously that a whole backstory was concieved. I'm all for artists expanding thier musical abilities into uncharted creative territory, but if you want to dissasociate yourself from previous sucesses do us all a favor and don't tell the entire world what you're up to; just record your music and release it under a different name for the public to judge on it's own strengths (or lack thereof).

But this is about Atreyu....bottom line, if this is the first album you hear by this band, you are far more likely to dismiss them as another face in the croud when longtime followers know they are capable of far, far greater things. There are those who would consider this a "hipster" point of view, according to the other reviews I have seen here, but I would chastize those same people for wanting to love this album so much that they have mistaken a mediocre experiment for progress.

I can see why many Atreyu fans were a bit put off by this album. Lead Sails is definitely a different sound for the once metalcore band. Selling out? Well who am I to judge...but here is my honest opinion on this album. For those expecting a hardcore metalcore album, you have a 95% chance of leaving very disappointed, along with those of you expecting to hear songs such as "Song for the Optimist" or even the poppier "Right Side of the Bed." For those of you who loved "The Theft" then this album was created just for you.

I would best describe this album as a hard rock album. Screams have been replaced by singing and the lyrics are rather emo in nature, resulting in a more accessible/radio friendly sound. The implementation of horns and keyboards as well as some acoustic elements also comes as a rather big surprise. For some this is an artistic step forward, while for many this is just one of the many signs that Atreyu has "sold out."

Personally, I do not like this new sound in any way, shape or form. I am not a big fan of Papa Roach, God Smack, or any other band fitting into this genre of music. So I myself might be a little biased. However, I have listened to this multiple times, trying to appreciate the music for what it is. However, I just can't get past the fact that the songs lack emotion, both in the instruments and the vocals. It seems that with this new album, the band has tried to step so far out of their boundaries, that they have lost their sincerity. For example, "At least I know I'm a sinner" was a big FU to hypocritical christians and by listening to it, you could feel the bands outrage and hate. However, when you trade this up for songs about love and other topics that you may not feel very impassioned about, well then you have yourself some pretty boring music...which is what I think we have to wade through in this album.

Lead Sails is very experimental and should actually have been an experimental album. If they had used a different band name, perhaps this might have pleased a bit more of their old time fans. The fact that this album is the exact opposite of everything that Atreyu has created in the past five years is why you hear so many fans crying "SELL OUTS". And while I can appreciate the fact that bands must grow and differentiate themselves from the cliche...please just do it the right way!

What Atreyu has done has used radio friendly lines such as "My breathing in the night when you're not there
The silence ringing through my ears And all I want to do is hear your voice But you're not there" to become more accessible for their major record label debut. Along with switch their screams to melodic singing. Throw in generic thrash metal riffs and cut out the majority of double bass and guitar solos and you have yourself a hard rock band trying to juggle the impossible: maintain the old time fan base while brining in a new younger one. This is the crux of the problem that Lead Sails has: it's trying to accomplish too much, resulting in a giant mess of an album.

For anyone who disagrees with this...please feel free to comment, if not then you can just suck on this...8====D~~

I love Atreyu - the first album I heard was The Curse, and it remains my most favorite album of theirs thus far. Death-Grip was also strong, albeit a tad on the short side. However, Lead Sails proves to stray from the distinct Atreyu sound that I've come to know and love. When I heard their first single off the new album, Becoming The Bull, I had to admit that I was taken aback and had several mixed feelings - sure the song was so catchy that I keep humming it, but it sounded more like Papa Roach than Atreyu. Which brings me to the rest of the album - I was shocked to find out that instead of just changing their sound for one song, they totally quit cold turkey.

Going back to the whole Papa Roach comparison, I don't necessarily consider it a bad thing. I love Papa Roach, but when I want to listen to Papa Roach, I don't want to think about Atreyu. The melodic style and catchy riffs drip with Papa Roach-ness, but with searing fret work and blazing solos that push their limit past The Curse and Death-Grip. The only thing consistent with the previous albums is Brandon's amazing vocals during the choruses. How that guy can belt out such soulful notes while still drumming perplexes me. Alex has seemed to mature as a singer in this one, however, that appears to be what initiated the major change in this album. It took me a while to recognize his voice, because his complete style had changed so radically. I'm impressed that he sings more, but his screaming has changed - there's no trace left of the "I'm choking on my larynx trying to stab you with my words" grunting.

Another thing that bugs me - what is up with the horns and electronic beeps and blips in some of the songs?

Despite all this, I listened to Lead Sails several times through without bias and found myself really enjoying it. I love every single song as they each bring a new game to the table. I just think it will be weird to hear them perform Bleeding Mascara next to Can't Happen Here in concert. The transition from metalcore to hard rock is a tumultuous one at best, but I think that if given time, this new sound could grow on long-time listeners with open minds. For those hardcore fans of their former sound, however, you'd better hope for the return to their roots in the next album. Newcomers, you'll be pleasantly surprised at this amazing rock album!

I am a rock, metal and extreme metal lover. I don't understand all the negative backlash towards Atreyu new album. There's less screaming, it's more melodic... But I think IT IS still good. I mean, these guys HAD to evolve or at least try something different. Did they sellout ? I don't care. Will they become huge rockstars ? I still don't care... I just want to listen to good music and I think Lead Sails Paper Anchor is a good album. If I want to listen to "angry" "in your face" Atreyu, I'll listen to Visions... If i want to listen to more "technical" Atreyu, I'll put The Curse on my Ipod. If I want to listen to melodic Atreyu, I will listen this new album.

The point is:

If I want something heavier than what Atreyu can give, I'll crank some Behemoth, Nile, GoatWhore, Marduk, The Red Chord, etc.

If I want "tough guy hardcore" I will listen to heavy hardcore bands.

Atreyu cannot give you all.

They gave us a good album.