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Atreyu
Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses


4.0
excellent

Review

by theboywhodestroyedtheworld USER (2 Reviews)
January 14th, 2005 | 223 replies


Release Date: 2002 | Tracklist


Already in the beginning of the first song off this album "A song for the optimists", you know you're in for something cool. The singer enters the song with his throat-cancer like voice (not in a bad way). Melodic metal riffs with a poppier punk side without being poppy. arghhh..it's not easy to explain what Atreyu sounds like.

Anyway....here's my song-for-song review:

1) A SONG FOR THE OPTIMISTS 8,5/10

I really like this song. It's got double bass drumming and melodic tremolo-picking riffing through the verse, and is an overall melodic song with many different good melodic parts. The drummer sings a melodic bit on this one and I don't know if his voice fits that well to the music?. Nice song!!

2)DILATED 7/10

More metal riffing! A more "punky" edge on the music on this one though, and not as convincing melodies. The outro in this song is the best parts of it. It would probably make Iron Maiden proud.

3)AIN'T LOVE GRAND 6/10

Probably a popular song amongst many. It is melodic, but I don't really think it's anywhere close to this album's first track in variety. Also, the drummer sings alot on this song. Not a bad song, and it does get stuck in my head sometimes, but well....a 6 is enough.

4)LIVING EACH DAY LIKE YOU'RE ALREADY DEAD 6,5/10

A diverse song. A nice mid-tempo chorus with the drummer singing over melodic octave chords. Probably a little better than the last song, but it doesn't reach the heights of the first two.

5)DEANNE THE ARSONIST 8/10

YEAH! A beautiful In Flames-style intro which leads into a melodic verse with the "throat cancer voice" singer singing. Then it turns more into a hardcore song with breakdowns and stuff. The best song since the first one!

6)SOMEONE'S STANDING ON MY SHOULDER 8/10

Starts with the hardcore edge the last song ended with, but turns more and more melodic as the song goes on. Around the 2,30 mark the singer starts singing a catchy hook with the rememberable lyrics "please don't worry too much, it only hurts when I breathe". After this a GREAT melodic metal riff that makes me wanna headbang and go crazy is played until the song is over. Double bass drumming under it! woa! good stuff!

7)AT LEAST I KNOW I'M A SINNER 9/10

The best song on the album.
This is the lyrics of the great fast catchy metalriff chorus

"Raise your heads, unclasp your hands,
your weakness makes me tremble
True strength comes from within
And we were given this life to live,
not exist under standards, set by some bull**** rule book"
AWESOME! check this one out for sure.


8)TULIPS ARE BETTER 6/10

Not really a bad song, but nothing special.

9)A VAMPIRE'S LAMENT 7/10

Nice intro and ending! but this song doesn't reach the heights of the best songs on the album.

10)LIP GLOSS AND BLACK 8,5/10

The last song on this album is about as good as the first one, but in a different way. This song is long and kinda epic. Superb ending with piano and everything!


Overall rating....a strong 3 or a weak 4 out of 5. Some songs are better than the others and stand out.

let's be generous and give a 4/5

defenitely worth checking out this one


user ratings (1078)
3.1
good
other reviews of this album
1 of


Comments:Add a Comment 
BuddyBigsby
December 14th 2003


531 Comments


"A Vampire's Lament" is my fav, but good review.

Luxor
December 14th 2003


166 Comments


I've only ever heard "Ain't Love Grand" and it was pretty good.

mooseyfate
December 15th 2003


2 Comments


I always thought of buying the album but haven't tried listening to it. I guess I whould sample it in the store. Thanks for the review.

axeslinga_32
December 17th 2003


41 Comments


does the drummer sing all of the melodic parts? like the singing in lip gloss and black and a vampires lament?

theboywhodestroyedtheworld
December 17th 2003


8 Comments


[QUOTE=axeslinga_32]does the drummer sing all of the melodic parts? like the singing in lip gloss and black and a vampires lament?[/QUOTE]

yea he does sing that as well

Guerrilla Soldier
December 17th 2003


28 Comments


"at least i know i am a sinner"'s melodic parts were sung by a guest singer - forget what band he is from. live though, the drummer takes those parts.

this album is one of my new favorite of all time - lip gloss and black should go down as a neo-classic.

they toured on this album forever (saw em 3 times, and i missed at least 2 stops in the area), and i anxious to see what they do on the next album - they've hired GGGarth to produce it (first rage record, others)

theboywhodestroyedtheworld
December 17th 2003


8 Comments


If I remember it right, I think the guest singer on this album was the lead singer of death by stereo. correct me if i'm wrong.

theboywhodestroyedtheworld
December 17th 2003


8 Comments


If I remember it right, I think the guest singer you mean is the lead singer of death by stereo. correct me if i'm wrong.

Guerrilla Soldier
December 17th 2003


28 Comments


ya, i got off my lazy *** and checked - you're right.

BuddyBigsby
December 17th 2003


531 Comments


[QUOTE=theboywhodestroyedtheworld]If I remember it right, I think the guest singer you mean is the lead singer of death by stereo. correct me if i'm wrong. [/QUOTE]

Yup. His name is Efrem Schultz (sp? and not sure on the last name)

loveasarson
January 10th 2004


1 Comments


seems people are a little divided on this album, but i would urge everyone to 1) listen songs other than 'ain't love grand'. although i like this song, it doesn't seem to capture the true essence of atreyu. 2) give it time. it took me about 5 listens to get into this album, and the more you listen to it, the more things you will notice and the more you will enjoy it, and 3) watch the lip gloss and black video, to understand on only a small scale what chaos and atreyu show can bring. 9/10

Guerrilla Soldier
January 10th 2004


28 Comments


for those interested...

www.theprp.com

More Kisses - wookubus
(6:46 PM MST 01/09/2004)
Atreyu will be re-releasing their "Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses" album through Victory on February 24th. The outing will come with a bonus DVD featuring live footage captured at their recent December 27th Corona, CA show, along with miscellaneous other material. Also included on the effort will be explanations and the story behind the albums lyrics from frontman Alex Varkatzas. Atreyu are set to begin recording their new album "The Curse" with GGGarth Richardson (Chevelle, Beloved) on February 01st. A June 15th release date through Victory is being eyed for the outing.

Fender_Strat8915
February 20th 2004


29 Comments


this whole kicks some major ***!! but my favorite songs on this cd are deanne the arsonist...a vampires lament...and lip gloss and black......

5/5.....in fact i am listening to this cd right now as i type

BuddyBigsby
February 21st 2004


531 Comments


[QUOTE=Guerrilla Soldier]for those interested...

www.theprp.com

More Kisses - wookubus
(6:46 PM MST 01/09/2004)
Atreyu will be re-releasing their "Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses" album through Victory on February 24th. The outing will come with a bonus DVD featuring live footage captured at their recent December 27th Corona, CA show [/QUOTE]

*was at that show, was awesome*

axeslinga_32
February 21st 2004


41 Comments


^^^ awesome!! i was gonna buy the album, but now I'll wait for that thing to come out

cbmartinez
June 12th 2004


2525 Comments


I just bought this album at a local show last night and it's awesome. I'm a tiny, tiny bit underwhelmed because many of my friends rave about this album but it's still an awesome CD. I have the version with the DVD, but I'm yet to watch the DVD. Alex also writes the song meanings in the CD booklet. Most of the CD was actually planned out and recorded with the bassist of Death by Stereo, Paul Miner.

guitarist105
July 18th 2004


6 Comments


I Heard of this band recently, a few months ago. I read good and bad reviews of 'The Curse'. But i heard only good things about 'Suicide Notes And Butterfly Kisses', so i decided to buy it, and here is my review.

Track Listings:

1) A song for the optimists
2) Dilated
3) Aint love grand
4) Living each day like your already dead
5) Deanne the arsonist
6) Someone's standing on my chest
7) At least i know im a sinner
8) Tulips are better
9) A vampires Lament
10) Lip gloss and black

The first thing i noticed when i put this cd in my stereo and 'a song for the optimists' blasted out of the speaker was the sheer sheer intensity and heaviness. This singer belted out a suitably good scream and the guitars roared. And all of a sudden it changed onto the singer almost speaking and the guitars playing fast melodies. This is what i like! And then after another 20 seconds or so it changed and the guitarists played a lead harmony riff. It was by this time that i realised these guys know how to play, and the complexity sustained throughout, changing every twenty seconds. In the breakdown the singer whispers and the palm muting mixed with finger picking gives a good effect. And to finish this epic, they guitars play a great fast duel harmonising riff that leaves you headbanging until u can headbang no more.
As i listened through all of the tracks i reckognised the well produced breakdowns in the songs. A good example is 'Dilated'. Again a very complex and heavy track. And in the breakdown the guitar play beautifull picking melodies, and then a blistering guitar solo. Also 'Deae the arsonist', when the guitars play a slow heavy riff, and then when you think it's ended, they play a very upbeat pop-punky tapping riff, backed with poppy power chords, and then it switches back to the heavy stuff.

The drums are impressive too, occassionally comming in with the good ol' double bass drum.
Over all this album is extremely impressive, heavy, catchy at times and very creative. Standout tracks are' Dilated, lip gloss and black, tulips are better, a vampires lament.'

My rating 9.5/10

Guerrilla Soldier
July 18th 2004


28 Comments


yup, this makes the third review of this album we have here...nicely done.

cbmartinez
July 18th 2004


2525 Comments


Haha, dumb noobs. Look up the album first.

Anyway, I just listened to this album a coupe minutes ago. So I'll give my thoughts. I think its a well put together album with some great guitar work. The album is extremely overrated though. Someone's Standing On My Chest, Deanne the Arsonist and Living Each Day Like Your Already Dead are the standout tracks. The lyrics aren't that great though. Anyway, like I said, it's just a well produced album that keeps its focus without trying to show off to much.

Bartender
July 20th 2004


826 Comments


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