Written By Kevin McSweeney
Something vibrant and bright is lighting up the sky, making a big, beautiful noise, gathering rapid momentum as it goes. Whatever it is, it seems to be emanating from the direction of Bognor Regis on England’s South Coast.
A quick look through the telescope, which is actually a rolled-up copy of the press release, confirms it to be iAtlas, which is not, in fact, a comet, but an alternative rock trio: “…built around a bass-led, rhythm-driven approach to writing and production.” They formed just last year and are enjoying the kind of rapid ascent that might soon see them amongst the stars.
This iAtlas Beyond The New Horizon EP review finds a young band already throwing alternative rock, punk, post-grunge, post-punk and heavier influences into one very strange orbit.
Their new EP, Beyond The New Horizon, which is due to be released independently on September 11th, is their maiden release. I suppose we’d better see what all the fuss is about before I bring this creaky old metaphor crashing down to Earth.
iAtlas Beyond The New Horizon EP Review
Freak The Trance
The opening track is quite literally bass-led, as it starts with a four-stringed flourish that had me thinking they might be about to launch into a cover of Joy Division’s Isolation.
Instead, we get a ZZ Top-style riff that sounds like a bluesy rock version of the hook from Martika’s cover of Carole King’s I Feel The Earth Move. (What was I smoking before I wrote this review?)
This riff is paired, somewhat incongruously, with double-kick metal drumming. It probably shouldn’t work; it does. The verse sees them alternate between palm mutes and big, bludgeoning stoner rock riffs.
The chorus is straightforward punk, though it reminds me slightly of Kandy Pop by Bis. (If you don’t remember Bis, I strongly recommend not acquainting yourself with them.)
There’s a brief bit of high-bass post-punk tomfoolery before an equally brief bit of Josh Homme-style lead, all culminating in a slightly abrupt ending.
They won’t thank me for the comparison, but they remind me a little of Electric Six, with the blending of rock with more eccentric elements in their sound.
Touch The Sky
Is this a nod to the notoriously oft-misheard lyric from Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix? I love the way it starts with a riff that sounds like it’s being pushed through a sonic pencil sharpener, embellished with new wave synths.
The main riff is pure 90s alt rock, and is all the more effective for its simplicity. Some have likened it to the handiwork of Tom Morello, though it is more akin to his work with Audioslave than with Rage Against The Machine, the latter of whom are cited by iAtlas as an influence on their work.
In any case, to my ears, it sounds more like Filter. Dougy seems to adopt a Cramps-style vocal technique for this one, which is amusing and disconcerting in equal measure.
Speaking of Jimi Hendrix, there’s a bit of lead guitar on the second verse that is vaguely reminiscent of his famous rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock.
The solo proper is pure punk, evoking memories of The Skids on Into The Valley. Drummer Marcus is given the chance to demonstrate his chops, with some double-kicks and deft fills.
Rather Me Than You
This one has a kind of dark country vibe to it, with Dougy’s clean guitar work producing ominous chords, making it sound as if some bad dudes are about to ride into town, in Wild West Sussex!
After about a minute or so, they abandon this in favour of a straight rock sound, and I’m slightly disappointed, to be honest. I wanted more of the dark country vibe, with maybe an ocarina and a bit of jaw harp thrown in for good measure. Is that really too much to ask?
There’s an Alice In Chains quality to the vocals, with those early two-part harmonies, and also in the chorus, in which the title is uttered in a manner that evokes memories of Layne Staley.
We get a brief reprisal of the country sound, but with the addition of palm-muted electric guitar, and continuing the AIC theme, the solo could have been played by Jerry Cantrell.
I don’t know much about effects pedals, but it’s a very similar sound to the lead performed by Cantrell on Angry Chair, and numerous other songs besides.
3iatlas
One subgenre that is referenced elsewhere to describe this band’s sound is space rock, and I suppose that’s fair enough, given that they are named after a giant rock in space.
This track begins with clips from broadcasts referring to the comet, which first came to popular attention at around the time this band was formed.
The clips are played over a bass intro from Ondy that’s a little bit like Metallica’s King Nothing and a little bit like Megadeth’s Peace Sells.
This is as close to metal as it gets, however, as it turns into a kind of bouncy, synth-embellished angular alt-pop thereafter, which is somewhat akin to Franz Ferninand. And just like the mildly pretentious Scottish band’s huge chart hit Take Me Out, it’s as catchy as chlamydia.
No wonder it was selected as a single. I particularly like the pre-chorus, with its syncopation and rudimentary but emotive lead guitar.
It’s fitting that I mentioned Peace Sells earlier, as the intensity and gathering of momentum in the coda is reminiscent of the thrash classic, though obviously not as heavy.
Lyrically, the idea seems to be that the band have piloted the interstellar object in question into the solar system in a bid to take over Earth. It’s hard to tell without a lyric sheet. I’m fairly into Stella myself, though I prefer Grolsch.
No Time
The final track is a brisk-paced post-grunge affair that reminds me of Wax Ecstatic-era Sponge. The Cramps-style vocals are back. (I’m going to be mightily embarrassed if that’s Dougy’s natural intonation and not an affectation.)
The solo is interesting, being played in a kind of surf rock style over a filthy beast riff that is neatly augmented by some insistent accents on the china cymbal, courtesy of Marcus.
The song both begins and ends with the briefest of space age synth flourishes, mildly asserting their celestial credentials without taking the edge off the intensity of the rock.
Final Verdict on iAtlas – Beyond The New Horizon
It’s a full-blooded way to bring the EP to a close, with its brittle melody just about withstanding the onslaught.
All in all, Beyond The New Horizon is a hugely promising first outing for iAtlas, the South Coast three-piece.
We will be keeping a keen ear tilted towards the night sky for whatever sounds they choose to rattle the heavens with next.
Metal Lair awards the Beyond The New Horizon EP by iAtlas four devil horns out of five
Stream Beyond The New Horizon by iAtlas here:
iATLAS – Beyond the New Horizon Track Listing:
1. Freak the Trance
2. Touch the Sky
3. Rather Me Than You
4. 3iatlas
5. No Time
Band Line-up:
Dougy: Vocals, guitar, lyrics, and melody
Ondy: Bass, effects, programming, and production design
Marcus: Drums and percussion
iAtlas Online:
About The Author
Kevin McSweeney is Metal Lair’s resident scribe of the underground, eternally rummaging through the global metal scene for riffs worth your time.
As the guiding hand behind Seven Deadly Songs every Friday, he has an uncanny knack for finding the track you didn’t know you needed, usually before finishing his pint.
Equal parts loyal, kind, and quietly razor-witted, Kevin brings deep knowledge, impeccable taste, and a steady, reliable presence to Metal Lair.
Read More From This Author:
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