By DJ Monk
One advantage of the current lockdown has been being able to catch up on music that previously had fallen through the net of potential review material, which is how I came across this recently released debut album from Birmingham death groovers Atarka, which had been loitering in the darkest recesses of the ÜR inbox for the past month or so…
While not bringing anything overly new to the groove metal/DM crossover subgenre that has emerged in the past few years, the quintet nevertheless do succeed in impacting on every level, from the snappy riffs and the dense winding harmonies through the bombastic rhythms and in-your-face but considered vocals. They also throw elements of doom and metalcore into their musical mix, showing that they are not confining themselves to generic strictures. As a result, they have delivered a highly impressive album which succeeds in making you sit up and take notice.
Accentuated and assisted by a superb production, ‘Sleeping Giant’ is an album of light and shade, revelatory when it moves into the former, dark and hypnotic when it returns to the latter. However, it’s main selling point is the fantastic use of clean vocals, showing that Jamie Smith is no mere growler, but possesses a great range, which helps to lift the album, and especially tracks such as ‘Golden Snake’ and ‘Miasma’ out of the mire of being trapped in a morass of deathly hallows.
In addition, the songs are all carefully crafted and delivered, yet retentive of the underlying energy which too often is sacrificed in the name of producing the perfect sound. As I said above, a highly impressive debut from a young band with a lot to offer, and who now how to present in a fulfilling way.
- ‘Sleeping Giant’ is out now. You can get your copy HERE.
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