Album Review: Breathe Atlantis – FUTURESTORIES

Piper M. September 9, 2016 219 Comments 332 views 0 likes

Nearly everything in life goes through some sort of rebranding phase in order to appeal to either a wider or more niche demographic, depending on the ultimate goal. This approach has overtaken music, and especially the “core” music scene over the past 5-7 years as the drive for more approachable records and reaching a larger audience has come in to play. While it’s paid off for some bands, launching them into uncharted waters, other’s still haven’t quite come to grasps with how to truly rebrand themselves. This is where Breathe Atlantis are at in their careers, as their new album, Futurestories, is a slight internal tweaking towards a more approachable sound with a positive and optimistic vibe. While the record sees the band continue their subtle electronic stylizations and R&B inspired vocals, it’s ultimately an uninteresting listen due to a sound that was seemingly rebranded for an audience that doesn’t really exist anymore.

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Genre: Post Hardcore | Alternative Rock
Label: Redfield Records
Release: September 9, 2016
Connect: Facebook | Twitter
Purchase: iTunes | Google Play
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Simply put, Futurestories is fun to listen to, but it is in no way reshaping the post hardcore genre. It’s a well produced album, meaning there’s nothing sonically jarring, or nothing that distracts the listener from the music. Musically it’s also a very solid album, but again, nothing that’s defining an entire movement. All the instrumentalists display skill and prowess here, and the writing works well together. along with each part being well balanced with no one singular instrument overpowering another. There are some cool crazy fills and runs here and there, but primarily the focus is on grooves and main progressions. This shows the maturity of the bands musicianship, but it leaves the album feeling very safe, which makes it feel like Breathe Atlantis isn’t ready to break out of their comfort zone quite yet.

BREATHE ATLANTIS – Golden Messiah (Official Video)

Official music video for “Golden Messiah” performed by Breathe Atlantis. YouTube Playlist http://bit.ly/GoldenMessiahYouTube iTunes http://geni.us/MessiahiTunes // Amazon http://geni.us/MessiahAmazon +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CREDITS Video directed by Mirko Witzki http://www.witzki.graphics Song produced by Dan Korneff (Papa Roach, Paramore, A Day To Remember) Actors: Runa Harrison and Fabrice Aleo Make-Up Art: Kami Zero +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ LYRCIS A world where the weak get pressured by the heartless ones Where potential is burned in the flames of greed What we need is a hero, a transformed pariah We need a new a golden messiah Are you the one?

A lot of the more intense moments feel like they could use some lower end growls, but the light use of unclean vocals make the band a lot more accessible to those who aren’t a fan of screams, which is always a plus. Even though it is a catchy album, it leaves listeners wanting more and there’s a lack of replayability to be found as many songs just lack that massive hook to pull people in. The slower, more ballad like songs give a full flavor and individuality to the record, and “Incomplete Universe” is a great example of what this band is made, and is dynamically and musically (especially vocally) superior to the other songs on the record.

If Futurestories had released 6 or 7 years ago at the advent of the post hardcore scene it would stand at the top with the likes of the early We Came As Romans and Pierce the Veil albums. That’s not the case as in this current day and age, music has already evolved stylistically past this record. It feels almost as a step below nostalgic, and more like a polished amalgamation of the albums and styles of that time. It isn’t bad to use artists such artists as inspirations, but let it be just that, and expand on what they built while modernizing your sound, but that is where this outing fails to go. Futurestories has good themes, positive messages, great production and skillful musical parts, but lacks (save for a few moments) whatever the heart and brand of Breathe Atlantis is. This is a good record, but it’d be fantastic to see these artists push the envelope to music that represents entirely them.