History
Early Years
Atreyu formed in sunny, bright Orange County, California back in 1998. Originally under the name Retribution, but found out that another band from Hemet, California already used that name. They changed their name to Atreyu, after the character from the fantasy movie The Neverending Story.
Atreyu's independent EP release, Visions was released somewhere between 1998 and 1999, and was sold at their live performances. Their second release, Fractures in the Facade of Your Porcelain Beauty was a short EP released by underground label Tribunal Records and featured tracks that would be re-worked in later releases. Atreyu signed with Victory Records in 2001, and their most critically acclaimed works would be to come from these releases.
Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses
In 2001, Atreyu signed with Victory Records, who were famous for signing young, upstart metalcore bands and making them successful. In 2002, Atreyu released their first full-length release, Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses. The album was a smash-hit among critics and metalcore fans worldwide. The band's aggressive, raw riffs mixed with Alex Varkatzas's mind-blowing throat-led screams made the album a success. The band also introduced another singer, Brandon Saller, the drummer, who would become more prolific in their later releases, but in this album, his parts were most confined to choruses, and only in certain songs at that.
Commercial Success (The Curse, A Death-Grip on Yesterday)
Atreyu's second album, The Curse, was a radical departure from Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, as the album had slightly more singing, and focused a lot more on song structure and deep, dark lyrics.. The album also had somewhat of a metal vibe, that only increased due to the song titles, lyrical subjects, and Victory Records' multitude of successful metalcore acts that came from that label. Despite Victory's history of metal bands, Atreyu still remained distant from anything emo and had much more of a dark and gothic feel.
In 2006, Atreyu released their third full-length LP, entitled A Death-Grip on Yesterday that helped further Atreyu's move towards the mainstream. The album was another musical change for Atreyu, yet remained too heavy for radio play, despite the hits Ex's And Oh's and The Theft. The album focused a bit more on a good balance of Brandon Saller's melodic singing vocals and Varkatzas's aggressive screaming, although Varkatzas' can be heard exploring a more melodic side of vocals. The album was met with positive reviews though, as IGN called the album "A brief but potent hissy fit." [3]
Lead Sails Paper Anchor
In early 2007, Atreyu signed a record deal with Hollywood Records, and began to prepare their next album, Lead Sails Paper Anchor. The rumor was that Atreyu would continue in the more mainstream path A Death-Grip on Yesterday had taken them on account of the success of the short EP. In early 2007, Atreyu released a jigsaw puzzle on their website of sorts, as the goal was to put all the audio clips of their new single, Becoming the Bull into correct order, forming the whole song. The album leaked a few days before it's release, and in matter of no time, reviews came out that criticized the album, as the album itself features very little of Atreyu's once prolific, trademark screaming, in favor for more singing as a whole. In 2009, they added Richmond, Indiana guitar player Craig Isaacs to the line-up because they felt it would re-connect them with their hardcore roots.
Touring
In 2006, they went on tour with Every Time I Die, Chiodos, and From First to Last. They kicked From First To Last off of The World Championship Tour because the band's lead singer could not perform with them due to vocal nodules. From First To Last wanted to stay on the tour and Chiodos front man Craig Owens offered to fill in on vocals but Atreyu insisted that they could not stay on the tour. They also were on the Ozzfest 2006 second stage alongside Black Label Society, Norma Jean, Bad Acid Trip, Between The Buried And Me, Walls of Jericho, Full Blown Chaos, The Red Chord. As well as Taste Of Chaos 2006 with Deftones, As I Lay Dying, Dredg, Funeral For A Friend, Thrice, Silverstein, Story Of The Year, Thursday, Greeley Estates, The Receiving End Of Sirens, Millionaire, Adair, Broke, The Smashup, Pellican, Street Drum Corps, The Confession. They were featured on the Family Values Tour 2007 with Korn, Evanescence, Flyleaf, Trivium, Hellyeah and Neurosonic. After Family values, They were invited by Linkin Park to accompany them on the Projekt Revolution Tour, 2008 along with: Armor For Sleep, 10 Years, Hawthorn Heights, Street Drum Corps, Ashes Divide, The Bravery, Chris Cornell, and Linkin Park. They will embark on a Full US and EU tour carrying them into winter.
Atreyu's fifth studio album, Congregation of the Damned, was released on October 27, 2009. The album, which was produced by Bob Marlette (Ozzy Osbourne, Airbourne) and mixed by Rich Costey (System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine), was said to be "darker" and "heavier" than the band's previous albums. Prior to release, the album was expected to contain heavier tracks such as "You Were the King, Now You're Unconscious" and "Bleeding Is a Luxury," as well as slower songs such as "Wait for You." According to lead singer Alex Varkatzas, the record is a "mix of everything we've ever done. For every song that's more melodic or rock-driven there's a total shitkicker, and I think that's what makes us a well-rounded band."
The band started a co-headlining tour with Hollywood Undead, Escape The Fate and The Sleeping in October, and as promotion of album have debuted songs like "Bleeding Is A Luxury" at K-Rockathon 14 in New York State Fairgrounds, Syracuse, NY., and "Gallows". Atreyu has also promoted their new album in many other ways. For example, 5 webisodes, between September 1 to October 20 every two weeks, have been released advertising the album. They describe the album to "Make more sense than the other ones because they finally realize what they are".
Congregation of The Damned debuted at #18 on the Billboard 200, selling 27,412 copies on its first week.
Atreyu went on a hiatus in January 2011, as confirmed by vocalist Alex Varkatzas through a series of Twitter posts. The band stated that they were taking a break from touring and recording to "recharge and focus on other parts of our lives." In their official statement, Atreyu clarified that they were not breaking up but would be taking a long break after 11 years of rocking. During this period, the band members pursued other projects.
Throughout 2012, the members of Atreyu remained involved in their respective side projects.
On May 11, 2013, Atreyu posted a statement on Facebook, asking their fans to repost the message if they wanted the band to write a new song with a sound reminiscent of their second studio album, "The Curse." The band showed an intention to return to a musical style similar to their earlier work.
Atreyu announced their official reunion in July 2014, marking their return to making new music. The band resumed live performances with a headlining show at Chain Reaction on September 11, 2014, followed by an appearance at the Aftershock Festival on September 14, 2014. They released a new song titled "So Others May Live" on their YouTube account and official website on September 5, 2014. Atreyu performed at various festivals and events, including Slipknot's Knotfest in October 2014. In April 2015, they released a limited edition 7" vinyl for Record Store Day featuring "So Others May Live" and a new song called "When the Day Is Done."
In June 2015, Atreyu announced their new album, "Long Live," which was released on September 18, 2015. The album reached number 26 on the Billboard 200 chart. They released a music video for the single "Long Live" in July 2015. The band continued to tour and perform in support of the album.
In 2018, Atreyu revealed plans for a new album and released the single "Anger Left Behind" in August. Their seventh studio album, "In Our Wake," was released on October 12, 2018. They embarked on a tour to promote the album, with support from bands like Memphis May Fire, Ice Nine Kills, and Sleep Signals.
To commemorate their 20th anniversary, Atreyu announced an anniversary tour in August 2019. The tour featured a setlist chosen by fans in an online poll and included support from Whitechapel, He Is Legend, Tempting Fate, and Santa Cruz.
In September 2020, the band confirmed the departure of vocalist Alex Varkatzas. They released the single "Save Us" in October 2020, along with the announcement of several lineup changes. Brandon Saller shifted his focus to clean singing, while Marc McKnight took over unclean vocals. Kyle Rosa joined as the new drummer.
Atreyu's eighth studio album, "Baptize," was released on June 4, 2021, through Spinefarm Records. The album features guest appearances by Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker on the single "Warrior." Prior to the album's release, the band also released the single "Underrated."
Band members
Brandon Saller - vocals (1998-present)
Dan Jacobs - guitar (1998-present)
Travis Miguel - guitar (2001-present)
Marc McKnight - bass and unclean vocals (2002-present)
Kyle Rosa - drums (2020-present)
Former members
Alex Varkatzas - vocals (1998-2020)
Chris Thompson — bass (2001–2003)
Kyle Stanley — bass (1998–2001)
Bryan O'Donnell — bass (1998)
Coffin Nails
Atreyu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Curl up, I start to doubt this
Something has died in me today
(Smell the decay)
I need some air around me
Claw walls until my nails bleed
Don't seal my coffin shut today
Coffin nails
So hard to pull
How can I break free?!
From the ties that hold you down
(Break free)
From the grips of loneliness
(Break free)
There's something missing in my life that I'm running after
(Break free)
Never meant to be held down
(Break free)
All I need is home right now
(Break free)
Is there something missing in my life that I'm running after?
Self doubt breaks down my resolve
It cripples part of my soul
And masterfully I'll hide my pain
(Smell the decay)
Dead eyes and a hollow smile
Pitch black, my vision is gone
And masterfully I'll hide my pain.
Coffin nails
So hard to pull
How can I break free?!
[ Atreyu Lyrics are found on www.songlyrics.com ]
From the ties that hold you down
(Break free)
From the grips of loneliness
(Break free)
There's something missing in my life that I'm running after
(Break free)
Never meant to be held down
(Break free)
All I need is home right now
(Break free)
Is there something missing in my life that I'm running after?
These coffin nails
Are keeping me
From the only thing I love
This monster is holding me
How will I break
From the ties that hold you down
(Break free)
From the grips of loneliness
(Break free)
There's something missing in my life that I'm running after
(Break free)
Never meant to be held down
(Break free)
All I need is home right now
(Break free)
Is there something missing in my life that I'm running after?
The lyrics of Atreyu's song Coffin Nails describe the feeling of being trapped and held down by something, whether it is self-doubt, loneliness, or something else. The singer in the song is struggling to break free and find his way back home. He feels disconnected and as if something important has died within him. The repeated phrase "Break free" highlights his desire to escape his current state and find what he's searching for. He acknowledges that it won't be easy to break free from the bonds that hold him down, symbolized by the coffin nails, but he's determined to try.
The line "smell the decay" is repeated twice in the song and adds a layer of darkness and decay to the lyrics. The singer is struggling with something that is slowly rotting away, whether it's his confidence, his sense of purpose, or his mental well-being. The repetition of "masterfully I'll hide my pain" shows that the singer is trying to put on a brave face and pretend that everything is okay when in reality, he's suffering.
Overall, the song is a powerful anthem for anyone who is struggling to escape something that feels like it's holding them back. It highlights the difficulty of breaking free but also emphasizes the importance of fighting for what you want and need in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't give a shit about it
I am indifferent to it
Curl up, I start to doubt this
Something has died in me today
I am feeling uncertain and uneasy, as I have suffered a great loss today
(Smell the decay)
I need some air around me
Claw walls until my nails bleed
Don't seal my coffin shut today
I am suffocating in pain and desperately need to escape it, even if it means hurting myself, and I am pleading not to be buried alive
Coffin nails
So hard to pull
How can I break free?!
I feel trapped and helpless, unable to escape my pain and fear
(Break free)
From the ties that hold you down
I want to break free from the things that are keeping me down
(Break free)
From the grips of loneliness
I want to escape the grip of loneliness that is suffocating me
(Break free)
There's something missing in my life that I'm running after
I feel like there is something important that I'm searching for, something that is missing in my life
(Break free)
Never meant to be held down
I was not meant to be held back or trapped in this unhappy state
(Break free)
All I need is home right now
I long for the comfort and safety of my home
Self doubt breaks down my resolve
It cripples part of my soul
And masterfully I'll hide my pain
My own doubts and insecurities are making me lose my resolve and weakening my spirit, but I am still able to hide my pain well
(Smell the decay)
Dead eyes and a hollow smile
Pitch black, my vision is gone
And masterfully I'll hide my pain.
I am numb and lifeless, but I can still smile and pretend everything is fine, even though my vision is clouded by darkness and my pain is overwhelming
These coffin nails
Are keeping me
From the only thing I love
This monster is holding me
How will I break
I feel like these nails, which are like a prison, are keeping me away from the things that I care about the most, and that my own fears and doubts are the monster that is trapping me
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Walt Disney Music Company
Written by: DANIEL DAN JACOBS, PORTER MARC MCKNIGHT, TRAVIS WILLIAM MIGUEL, BRANDON SALLER, EKTOR ALEX VARKATZAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind