That is how Atreyu describes their music and I must agree. They straddle the line between Killswitch Engage and Iron Maiden and do it VERY WELL. Every song is amazing, moving, heavy, and memorable. The clean/growled vocal trade off is reminescent of the afforemention KSE and Shadows Fall, so if you are a fan of those bands do yourself a favor and get this.

For a debut album, the songwriting skills are very impressive.. even so much that some amount of mainstream success could lie ahead for them. I really don't know how to describe it other than amazing.... probably the premiere metalcore album of this year. Fav songs = Ain't Love Grand, Lip Gloss and Black, Someone's Standing on My Chest

Heavy. Really f-ing heavy. Those words describe one of the greatest bands out right now. The band is Atreyu. And the CD that really shows their talent off is Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses. Released in 2002 from Victory Records, this is a brutally melodic album that shines in many categories. First of all, the lyrics (although overly dramatic at times) are strong and menacing. Lead singer Alex Varkatzas really knows how to scream. He probably has the best voice of any hardcore band. Only Matt Shadows of A7X can compete. The percussion is really great. Drummer Brandon Saller knows what he's doing. The guitarists (Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel) have a lot of creativity and skill. I love the finger tapping intro on Lip Gloss and Black, not to mention the great solo on that song either. One drawback is that the CD is very short. It clocks in at 40 minutes and there's only 10 tracks. But each one has a lot of aggression and emotion, so it's not so bad. The best track off of this CD is Lip Gloss and Black. But Ain't Love Grand, Deanne the Arsonist, and Tulips are Better are excellent as well. The other tracks are better than good too. If you are into metal, hardcore, or even some punk (which I hate) you will enjoy this CD. Another thing I would like to mention is that it's great when bands try different things and succeed. For example, the piano on Lip Gloss and Black. It was a very ballsy thing to do, but ultimately gave the song a more melodic feel. We heard Avenged Sevenfold try a similar (and equally compelling) effect on I Won't See You Tonight. Speaking of Avenged Sevenfold, I would compare them to Atreyu. They have a similar style, they're the same age, and both are original and refreshing. But the musicianship of Avenged Sevenfold is much stronger than Atreyu. So if you enjoy Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses (which you will), you need to get Waking the Fallen (it's the best album ever).

Another great hardcore CD. Vox are unique, which is a big turn on. In response to the guy below unhappy with Atreyu's anti-Christian message...I don't find it anti-Christian at all. He (being Atreyu's lyricist) is not calling Christians in general weak, but he is specifically speaking to those who would judge him, condemn him, and act like complete jerks to him, yet they are the ones in the wrong by being hypocrites and not showing love. You know? It's more anti-hypocracy, IMO. Hope this clears things up for you and others. Just another view-point.

Atreyu is one of those bands that all the elitests, music snobs, and even the kids who think they know good music (but honostly, don't) will not be raving about. Why? Atreyu are a part of a very long line of the new wave of recent swedish-influeced metalcore bands to appear recently. But; just to give you an idea of why you should listen to this album instead of just taking these people's opinions and discarding the band altogether, some of these are the same people who think this is hardcore (in what way does this sound like Madball? Scarface?), thought Metallica's new disaster of an album was amazing, and think that they hordes of Swedish/European bands are all the best metal bands of our generation - while these bands have mountains of talent, there are very few who actually use that talent to make GOOD metal. There is a DIFFERENCE.

All that BS aside, this is my honost opinion of Atreyu: A very talented band - that puts that talent very much to use. They obviously are highly influenced by labelmates Darkest Hour, just listen to Atreyu's 'A Song for the Optimists' and Darkest Hour's 'For the Soul of the Savior', but Atreyu have sacrificed the blazing speed to make more intricate guitar melodies, memorable song arrangements, and punk-choruses to make a very memorable record, which is what makes them a very unique band. This is where the appeal in Atreyu lies - they don't have the huge talent of Dream Theater, Dillinger Escape Plan, or Opeth and they aren't out to change the face of music, but the music speaks for itself... Atreyu is amazing in it's own right. Just listen to the inspired guitar playing in "Deanne the Arsonist" or the heartfelt chorus and amazing conclusion to the album in "Lip Gloss and Black".

This album isn't for everyone, but for those like myself, their is an infinite amount of enjoyment to be had here. So listen to the album for yourself before comming to any conclusions - this may just become one of the gems of your record collection, like it has mine. Be sure to also catch them live.

An overwhelming sense of difficulty comes with the review of Atreyu's first full length after being absorbed by their second release, "The Curse." After listening to "The Curse," excessively, I found myself hurdling back to "Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses." "The Curse" binge only deepened my appreciation for Atreyu's first full-length. If I had to choose an album over the other, I would have to easily defend this one. Because no song in their second release can ever replace ballads like "Ain't Love Grand" or "At Least I Know I'm a Sinner."

What kicks me in the face most about this album is the complex guitar work and the alarming vocals that charge at you. Guttural and forceful, the vocals ooze with a nefarious soul and lunges at the listener with no warning whatsoever. Once you toss this album in for your initial listen, you will see what I mean. I will admit that at first I was skeptical and felt a bit restrained from ever seeing this album as a prize within my collection, but after my third or fourth take, I fell for Atreyu's full-length. I kept replaying the strong lineup of tracks over and over again.

If you don't know them by now, Atreyu is an influential combination of emo, hardcore, and metal. They take the best of three worlds and balance them within a tight end product. But what distinctly stands out is their Gothic Metal vibe that reverberates all throughout the songs. By all means, Atreyu is nothing groundbreaking, but they do succeed where they are meant to. The band will have you moving your skull in each and every direction. Each person in the band has their own little share of the spotlight with the crunching guitars, the deliberately deafening percussions, and the roaring does a grade A performance.