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Atlas: In Pursuit Of Memory

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR

4.0/5.0

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AOR Heaven
Released: 28.09.2018
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 26.09.2018

Some 13 months from the release of their short four song EP World In Motion, Atlas returns with their debut long player, In Pursuit Of Memory. Surprisingly, the band, formed by keyboard player and lyricist James Thorley, has the same personnel intact, which bodes well for a consistent sound.

Atlas

That's what you have with In Pursuit Of Memory, the first full musical chapter of Atlas to follow their prologue. The band once more delivers AOR melodic hard rock in the classic tradition. As said of World In Motion, "To embellish this a little more, their songs have an equally strong guitar and keyboard presence: the former in the ambitious solos, the latter in melodic piano lines." But you may be thrown for bit of a musical loop at the start of this new album. Both Samsara and Bad Habit are simply melodic metal rock, driven by robust riffs, a heavy rhythm section, and blistering solos. We'll return to this motif later.

With Breathe Me In, Flesh And Blood, As Time Goes By, the following three tunes, Atlas drops into their AOR melodic hard rock, boasting hooks in guitar lines, melodies, and refrains. The same might be said for Seasons Of Change, but the bottom end is definitely a bit more thick for the AOR. True mellow AOR rock comes with Letting Go and the ballad Signal Of Hope. But that aforementioned heavier motif mixes in once more with Supernova (don't be fooled by the light piano start), the thick bass and drum groove of Lock And Key, and metal-edged In The Frame with it's sharp riffs and, once more, tough rhythm section. Overall, you might call Atlas' In Pursuit Of Memory a mixed bag of melodic rock, with sweeter AOR tunes and more aggressive (we really have got some balls) hard and heavy rockers, and you'd be right. Recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Overall, you might call Atlas' In Pursuit Of Memory a mixed bag of melodic rock, with sweeter AOR tunes and more aggressive (we really have got some balls) hard and heavy rockers, and you'd be right. Recommended.

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