Mind Equals Blown

Attila is a party death metal band from Atlanta that formed in 2005. Truthfully, I’ve not ventured much into the ‘party death metal’ genre, so this was a new experience for me. After listening closely, I’ve come to find out that party metal is pretty fun! That being said, Attila’s new album, Rage, is certainly something to celebrate.

One of my favorite songs off of the album is “Lights Out.”  Although the vocals are sort of all over the place with their high to low mix, there is a lot of energy. This song features some progressive metal harmonies on the guitar, complimented with your standard run-of-the-mill deathcore breakdowns and riffs. The breakdown at 2:00 is very fitting despite the random grunting. While we’re on the subject of vocals, I’m not yet convinced. I feel as if Fronz’s screaming style is something new listeners will have to get used to, as it is somewhat out of the “norm” for hardcore band. Then again, originality is what ultimately gets a band noticed.

Moving on to their title song, “Rage“, which consists of several well done breakdowns and a variety of low and high gutturals. This song is a priority listen on the album, encompassing pretty much all the band has to offer. The drumming is tight, though the snare pattern gets predictable, as is throughout the album. On this track, Attila starts to resemble Chelsea Grin (who are also a part of Artery Records), as well as Dr. Acula and Vanna. Attila seems to be all about the party. They have fun with their songs and have fun with their performances, which is very apparent, even on this album.

After “Rage” is a track called “Lights Out” which I find very catchy and features several interesting guitar hooks and drum patterns that will grab your attention immediately. There’s a healthy dose of breakdowns and double-bass work as well, which will keep the traditional hardcore fans happy. At this point in the album, Fronz is making me smile with his vocals rather than cringe. I’m telling you, he grows you!

I was intrigued by the song “Girls Don’t Lie” solely because of the title. This happens to be my favorite song on the album. For whatever striking reason, I find it absolutely hysterical. The song is fun, fast-paced and exciting. Gang-vocals are a must on a party-metal album!

If I’ve learned anything about party metal as a genre, it’s the ability to enjoy music of the hardcore and metal persuasion and feel good along with the ability to use it as an outlet for anger or frustration. I won’t spoil the rest of the album for you, but I strongly urge you to take a listen to Attila and open your hearts to the beauty of party metal.

• About the Author