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)
Demonology And Heartache
Atreyu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You claim to know
A thing or two about heartache
And what it's like
To have your insides torn out
And I believe you
I see it every time
Your pallbearer's palor is obscured by the darkness
Dancing across your face
And when the blackness veils
Your eyes in pain
I know what it's like
When memories make you wince
And love letters read like obituaries
And photo albums
Are the books of the dead
I need no reminders (no more reminders)
I'll forget the past and lay it to rest
If I had my way I'd cut
The calluses off your
Off your breaking heart
If I could get past the sternum
Cauterize those wounds with
Every kiss I could give to you
I'm holding your heart in my hands
The reason it still beats
Am I being too cryptic?
Am I being too obscure?
Am I being too cryptic?
Am I being too obscure?
Love kills, romance is dead
And I don't even trust myself
But I love you
And you can pull my wings apart
And pin me down under glass
Until the end of days
If it can help you
Discover that we share the same pain
I just hope you write your thesis before
Your subject is dead
No life after death
If I had my way I'd cut
The calluses off your
Off your breaking heart
If I could get past the sternum
Cauterize those wounds with
Every kiss I could give to you
I'm holding your heart in my hands
The reason it still beats
If I had my way I'd cut
The calluses off your
Off your breaking heart
If I could get past the sternum
Cauterize those wounds with
Every kiss I could give to you
I'm holding your heart in my hands
The reason it still beats
Atreyu's song Demonology And Heartache is a dark and emotionally-charged track about a person who is deeply hurt and broken. The lyrics describe someone who is unaffectionate and insecure, and claims to know what heartache feels like. The singer believes this person's pain because they can see it in the way their face is obscured by darkness and blackness veils their eyes. They understand what it's like to have memories that make you wince, love letters that read like obituaries, and photo albums that feel like books of the dead.
The singer wants to help this person heal, and would do anything to cut the calluses off their breaking heart and cauterize their wounds with every kiss they could give. They are holding this person's heart in their hands, and the reason it still beats. Even though love kills and romance is dead, they still love this person and would let them pull their wings apart and pin them down under glass if it could help them discover that they share the same pain. The final line is a plea for this person to write their thesis before their subject is dead, suggesting that they need to confront their pain and heal before it's too late.
This song is a powerful example of Atreyu's ability to explore complex emotions with honesty and depth. The lyrics are raw and visceral, with a sense of urgency and desperation that is mirrored in the intense guitar riffs and thundering drums. It's a song that speaks to anyone who has experienced heartbreak and loss, and it's impossible not to be moved by its haunting melody and passionate vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
So unaffectionate, so insecure
You come across as closed off and lacking confidence in yourself and your relationships
You claim to know
You say that you have experienced heartache and understand what it feels like
A thing or two about heartache
You think you have a good understanding of the pain and suffering that comes with heartbreak
And what it's like
You believe you have a clear picture of the emotions and physical sensations involved in heartache
To have your insides torn out
The pain you feel in your heart is so intense it feels like your insides are being ripped apart
And I believe you
I trust that you have gone through a lot of pain and are being genuine
I see it every time
I can tell that the pain you carry with you is always present
Your pallbearer's palor is obscured by the darkness
The paleness of your face, like that of a person carrying a casket, is hidden by the darkness surrounding you
By the darkness
The darkness is so thick that it is shielding you from view
Dancing across your face
The darkness is moving in a way that looks like it's dancing all over your face and features
And when the blackness veils
And when the darkness completely covers
Your eyes in pain
Your eyes show the physical pain you're in
I know what it's like
I understand the pain you're feeling
When memories make you wince
When past experiences elicit a physical and emotional reaction from you
And love letters read like obituaries
When messages of love and affection read like death notices or funerary speeches
And photo albums
Albums with photographs of memories made before the heartache
Are the books of the dead
Are like books of people that are no longer with us
I need no reminders (no more reminders)
I don't need any more triggers from the past to remind me of my pain and sadness
I'll forget the past and lay it to rest
I'll learn to move on and put my past behind me
If I had my way I'd cut
If I could do something to ease your pain,
The calluses off your
I would remove the hardened pain that's protecting your breaking heart
Off your breaking heart
I would take away the burden of a heart that's tired of hurting
If I could get past the sternum
If I could go beyond the boney structures of your chest and reach into the depths of your heart
Cauterize those wounds with
I would use the heat of my love to heal the emotional wounds you carry with you
Every kiss I could give to you
Each kiss would be a reminder of the love and affection I have for you
I'm holding your heart in my hands
I'm taking care of your heart and treating it delicately
The reason it still beats
It's still beating because of the love and care I'm providing
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Brandon Saller, Daniel Jacobs, Ektor Varkatzas, Travis Miguel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
ejayman
Man, I'm in my early 30s but this song bring out the angsty 16 year old that clearly still lies inside. A mix of joyful memories and crippling nostalgia.
Matthew Argyros
35 here. Just obsessed with this song and album lately!
Anthony B
34 and still makes me amped up lol
n r
Turning 30 this year. Dying to go back.
Wr3ck 1t
what, are you me?!
Angel Cedeno
32 here and still feeling these lyrics like I was in my teens when I found out atreyu.
Daniel Ritchie
Dan and Travis are really killing it in this song btw. The guitar work in the back during the last 2 choruses is fantastic.
7TOPCHANNEL
Daniel Ritchie just amazing! I swear... i thought i was the only person that noticed it..
Nacho Normal Sports Talk
2:40 to the end is so incredible. The guitar work and the vocals are so amazing. I really feel like the guitar is singing along with the vocals. I feel it in my bones. This is what music is made for 🤘
K P
havent heard this song in years but i can still sing along to it