Orange County, CA · metalcore

Atreyu

2 upcoming festivals ↓

OC metalcore originators — 'Lip Gloss and Black' nostalgia with new-era polish, from a band that helped write the genre's melodic playbook in the first place.

Atreyu came together in Orange County in 1998 under the name Retribution before the members renamed the band after Atreju, a character from Michael Ende's novel The Neverending Story. The early lineup paired guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel with vocalist Alex Varkatzas and bassist Kyle Stanley; drummer Brandon Saller joined that year at the invitation of his older brother.

The band's sound set screamed verses against sung choruses, laid twin-guitar harmonies borrowed from melodic death metal over the top, and leaned further into straightforward rock songwriting as the catalog progressed.

Signed to Victory Records in 2001, Atreyu released its debut, Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, in 2002, with the video for 'Lip Gloss and Black' picking up airplay on Headbangers Ball the following year. The Curse (2004) sold 450,000 copies and placed songs on the Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Underworld: Evolution soundtracks as well as the racing game Burnout 3.

A Death-Grip on Yesterday reached number nine on the Billboard 200 in 2006, helped by the single 'Ex's and Oh's' appearing on the Madden NFL 07 soundtrack. The band signed with Hollywood Records in 2007 for Lead Sails Paper Anchor and has kept recording and touring since, through multiple bassist changes and ten studio albums in total.

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metalcore