North of England melodic rock & AOR band ATLAS comprises five musicians: Craig Wells (lead vocals), James Thorley (keyboards), Howie Little (lead guitars), Chris Redfearn (bass guitar), and Ryan Briggs (drums).
They are renowned for their incredibly mellisonant serenatas that almost always come accompanied by thrusting guitars, captivating vocal lines, and impressively murmuring keys.
Their highly anticipated third studio album, Built To Last is due on 20th October 2023 via Metropolis Records.
lavishly surrendered, multilayered, and pleat-contoured…
Raw Ramp Music Magazine
We have previously described their sounds as: superordinary, widescale & heavyweight: with powerhouse vocals, ultracapable drummery and wonderworthy keys. We got the chance to have an early listen of the new 12-track:
You’re Not Alone is a flawless mid-1980s style melodic rock number, and so, as you’d expect, midway through there’s a wonderful and spirited guitar solo. The final outcome is harmonious union. An impeccable piece.
The high-performance All or Nothing arrives widescale & heavyweight with superaccomplished drummery and glory-worthy keys. The chorus is glimmering, and the strong vocals are enthralling and exhilarating.
‘Just Like That‘ is resplendently mid-eighties, not unlike Helloween in terms of translucency and glossiness but with Tears for Fears-style kaboomlets of rhythm, and Hall & Oates-style melodic tunefulness, along with bumping Queensryche-style bass. The number is lavishly surrendered, multilayered, and pleat-contoured.
The ‘Chasing Portraits‘ centrepiece is a key-laden and filigreed three-act drama as well as a sentimental showcase of regret and reslience. It is operatic in heartbreak and grandiloquent in breadth, but is never overly embellished. In fact, it is darkly bittersweet in its more shadowy moments. These tracks are so opulent in princely ambition that we were left wondering why the rest of the CD wasn’t as feastfuly (and fearlessly) sensual and lavish! But, anyway, an exemplary achievement!
Masterful drumming, praiseworthy keys, glistening vocals, captivating guitars, and electrifying choruses…what more could you possibly want from melodic rock?
File alongside: Crimson Glory
Words: Neil Mach © 2023
Main Photo: Joy Louise
Pre-order here: https://atlasmusicuk.bandcamp.com/album/built-to-last-pre-order-20-10-2023
RAW RAMP 