Here’s a cracking melodic/heavy rock album for you to check out. Parallel Love by Atlas. Had a DM from the band via Twitter about the album so figured only polite to buy a copy and get my ears around it.
This is their second album and a top drawer effort make no mistake. Every cut a solid chunk of quality melodic rock with bite. Hooks and melodies galore.
Crisp sound with some fine “punchy” shredding and some bigged up swirling keys and synths giving it not only a more rounded out sound but also something of a 1980s tinge to it which works really well.
Atlas formed in 2017 releasing an EP the same year. AOR Heaven liked what they heard and the band signed with the label and their debut album In Pursuit of Memory appeared in 2019 (note to self: must buy that now). Parallel Love aims to build on the success of the debut.
Eleven songs here. Each one tightly executed and performed. Instantly catchy stuff from first to last.
The fever an excellent start. A bit proggy, a bit heavy, monsterously melodic. A simple yet effective bass line helps to push it along as do the keyboard swells and stabs from James Thorley.
And on it goes from there. In Your Head will get, er, in to your head and stay there. Human Touch and Weathered Heart will too with the chunky riffs and economic shredding. All infectious stuff.
Other stand-outs are the huge chorus of Falling Out of Love and my favourite track Early Warning. Check out Craig Wells’ impressive vocal on this one in particular. Have a listen:
Beyond the Limit pushes Early Warning close for top cut. More short, punchy and impressive lead work from Howard Little.
Here With You closes it out with a more genteel style which is appropriate given the general subject matter throughout the album – which “deals with various relationships of different kinds”
I read on AOR Heaven that: “Atlas offer a reasonable amount of heavy guitars, as well huge keyboards and a singer (Craig Wells) who really rocks and brings a little bit of crispiness into play.”
In my eyes, I mean ears, it’s much more than a “reasonable” amount of heavy guitars. They keys are indeed huge and Wells has a fine set of pipes.
My thanks to the band for reaching out. Otherwise Parallel Love would have passed me by and I’d have missed out an excellent album. Don’t let is pass you by is my suggestion……..!
> Parallel Love by Atlas on Amazon here <
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