Atreyu is an American metalcore band that formed in 1998. They have released several albums throughout their career, with "The Curse" being one of their most notable albums. "The Curse" was released in 2004 and received positive reviews from both fans and critics. One aspect of the album that stood out was its cover art. The cover depicted a dark and eerie scene, which perfectly complemented the album's haunting and aggressive sound. The album cover features a mesmerizing and sinister image of a woman, half-human and half-animal, with sharp claws and glowing red eyes.

Atreyu
The Curse

Review Summary: The best thing about owning a copy of Atreyu's The Curse is that the booklet holds host to some pictures of the model Natalia Delano. Aside from that and some okay instrumental moments, this is a pretty lame affair.

Atreyu's album, The Curse, mainly nestled its way into my album collection because of two main things. One was the artwork that adorned the cover and the pages of the booklet; no, I'm not a pervert but one could hardly say it wasn't great eye candy. Secondly, I'd heard snippets of a few songs (Bleeding Mascara and The Crimson) and it hadn't seemed all too shabby. Bearing in mind my musical tastes were still maturing, and they really did have a long way to go, after listening through this a few times I came to the conclusion that it wasn't too bad. not too bad at all.

But of course, opinions change over time. My opinion of the band went from indifferent to wholly negative after just a little too much exposure to this and then the boom in popularity amongst scenesters that occurred when A Death Grip On Yesterday was released. With that said, by this time my taste in music had also improved (in my opinion at least) and I did begin to see this for what it really was - average commercial metalcore. Let me sum up the negative points in a small summary. Atreyu are generic - they sound like every other melodic borderline metal band and employ the use of drop C tuned riffing utilizing and incorporating melodies we've all heard many times before. The harsh vocals are utterly intolerable for the most part with the lead vocalist not sounding dissimilar to a puking tramp asphyxiating on his White Lightning. Oh, every chorus feels the need to manifest itself as an annoying catchy one that simply has to have clean vocals. These vocals are far from awful but they are pretty nauseating after a while; Brandon Saller (who also does the drumming, another uninteresting aspect of the band) has a voice akin to that of a pre-pubescent victim of bullying. Nothing personal, it's just when he sings that's what I'm reminded of.

Aside from the completely pointless introductory track (which rips off countless other bands of a similar standing within the genre), this album is twelve tracks of over-produced, bland and totally uninspired commercial metal for the masses. One of the redeeming aspects of the album is the guitars do occasionally have their shining moments, whether it be an above par riff or a semi-interesting lead passage. There is even a small amount of tapping on Demonology and Heartache. The rhythm section is almost unnoticeable, except for An Interlude, where Marc McKnight does lay down some fairly good bass lines. That particular song is also good because it is an instrumental and you don't have to subject yourself to the sound of Alex barfing away or Brandon's whining. Atreyu do better when they go for a heavier approach, demonstrated in Corseting. That track is about as 'brutal' or 'punishing' the album will ever get. The big singles from the album are also notable, mostly because Right Side of the Bed is so irritating. The opening riff bears great resemblance to the In Flames track The Hive (which caused an uproar concerning plagiarism on sputnik if I remember correctly), with Alex and Brandon delivering some truly naff lyrics in their respectively bad vocal styles. The Crimson fares better, with a nice clean guitar riff opening things up and some tasteful verse instrumentation. The guitar lead in the second verse is also one of the better moments on the album.

Better moments of the album? Yeah, there are a few. Bleeding Mascara is one of the heavier songs, which boasts some sweep picking in the intro which is adequately flashy and helps the song avoid complete disaster. Hey, there are even a few solos dotted around. Whilst they aren't technically amazing, they're pretty good for this sort of genre, with the best ones coming later on in the album, on tracks such as My Sanity On the Funeral Pyre.

Predictable and lackluster are a couple of the nicer adjectives I could use to describe this. For the majority of the time, this is derivative tripe wanked over by scene kids from across the globe. You'll find nothing new here, nor will you find any tried and tested ideas put to that much of a good use to be honest. The Curse has a few pleasant moments but for those who would rather keep away from feelings of being unsatisfied, you'll probably be better off buying Avenged Sevenfold's Waking the Fallen. A very mediocre effort from your typical average new-wave metalcore band.

Recommended Tracks
Bleeding Mascara
The Crimson
An Interlude
My Sanity On the Funeral Pyre

Atreyu – The Curse

To those who search for convenient categories to describe a band’s sound, Atreyu has long been a source of frustration. “Metalcore” seems to be the agreed-upon label, but Atreyu’s supporters and detractors will tell you with equal levels of passion that it doesn’t quite fit. And that’s how Atreyu likes it.

For Atreyu, a state of creative flux is the default, as they are never content to settle into a predictable routine. Even their logo changes with every album they release. With roots in the Orange County punk scene, Atreyu began as a band called Retribution, but their music gradually became harder and darker, and they needed a new name to go with it. Their early demos and EPs caught the ears of Victory Records, and the label released Atreyu’s well-received debut, Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, in 2002. It would’ve been easy, safe, and—some would say—smart to follow the first album up with something that sounded similar. But instead Atreyu leaned into more melodic vocals and heavier riffs, and in 2004 they put out their breakthrough album, The Curse.

The album boasted no less than three singles: “Right Side of the Bed,” “Bleeding Mascara,” and “The Crimson.” Each one is tinged with gothic imagery and tales of heartbreak, but each one stands on its own musically. The album as a whole could be described as screamo mixed with Swedish metal interwoven with ballads and arena rock. All of it wedged neatly between the metal and the core. It turned out that staying true to themselves paid off: it took a while, but in 2020 The Curse was finally certified as a gold record.

Guitarist Dan Jacobs encapsulated the tectonic shift in the band members’ lives that took place after the album’s release by recalling an in-store record signing event:

“We showed up and there was literally a line a mile long wrapped around the place. We thought we were going to have to run for our lives! It was a pretty incredible feeling, to feel your life just shift in an interesting direction.”

The Curse stands today as a landmark album in the band’s career and a testament to what can be achieved by staying true to a creative vision. Atreyu’s subsequent albums would continue to frustrate those who would attempt to label them, and, despite some lineup changes, they’re still making music today. And still, as always, evolving.

Did You Know?

• Atreyu isn’t the only Atreyu. Other bands around the world had claimed the name before them, but Atreyu has eclipsed the competition.
• Drummer/vocalist Brendan Saller was once in a band called S.S. Minnow, named after the boat on Gilligan’s Island.
• The bridge of the song “The Theft” was inspired by Danny Elfman’s score for Edward Scissorhands.
• In January 2020 the band released a limited-edition t-shirt to benefit relief efforts after the massive Australian wildfires. They related to Australia’s plight due to being raised in California—a state regularly plagued with wildfires of its own.
• The NFL licensed the song “The Time Is Now” for broadcast during Monday Night Football.
• Porn star Krystal Steal appears alongside WWE tag team wrestlers the Bella Twins in the video for “Right Side of the Bed.”

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The album cover features a mesmerizing and sinister image of a woman, half-human and half-animal, with sharp claws and glowing red eyes. She is portrayed as a powerful and mysterious creature, symbolizing the emotional and intense lyrics found on the album. The image immediately captures the attention of the viewer and sparks curiosity about the music contained within.

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The artistic choice of incorporating such a striking and unconventional image on the album cover effectively sets the tone for the music. It conveys a sense of darkness, struggle, and intensity, which align perfectly with Atreyu's aggressive and emotionally charged style. The color palette chosen for the album cover leans towards the darker tones, primarily consisting of black, red, and shades of gray. This further enhances the eerie and menacing atmosphere portrayed in the image. The use of deep shadows and contrasting lighting adds depth and dimension to the overall composition. The album cover for "The Curse" is a visual representation of Atreyu's music and serves as an invitation to delve into the emotions and themes explored throughout the album. It serves to captivate the audience and leave a lasting impression. Overall, the album cover for "The Curse" is a masterful piece of art that perfectly captures the essence of Atreyu's music. It effectively conveys the dark and intense atmosphere of the album and entices listeners to embark on a haunting musical journey..

Reviews for "The Impact of Atreyu's "The Curse" Album Cover on the Metalcore Genre"

1. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with the album cover for "Atreyu the curse." It just felt so generic and uninspired. The black and white color scheme with the band's logo in the center looked like something I could have put together on Microsoft Paint. I was hoping for something more visually striking and memorable. Overall, I found the design to be a major letdown.

2. John - 2/5 stars - The album cover for "Atreyu the curse" was quite underwhelming in my opinion. It lacked creativity and failed to capture the essence of the band's music. The imagery on the cover felt disjointed and unrelated to the album's theme. It simply didn't make me feel excited or intrigued to listen to the music inside. I think Atreyu could have done better with a more thought-provoking and visually captivating artwork.

3. Emily - 2/5 stars - The album cover for "Atreyu the curse" was rather unimpressive. It felt like a recycled design that I've seen countless times before. There was nothing about it that made it stand out or catch my attention. I believe a band like Atreyu, who are known for their energetic and powerful music, deserved a cover that reflected their unique style. Unfortunately, this one fell flat for me.

4. Mike - 1/5 stars - I really disliked the album cover for "Atreyu the curse". It seemed lazy and lacked any creativity or originality. The generic font used for the band's name and the monochromatic color scheme made it appear bland and unexciting. Overall, it simply didn't grab my attention or make me curious to listen to the music. This was a major disappointment from Atreyu.

The Symbolism and Meaning Behind Atreyu's "The Curse" Album Cover