Atlantis –Mistress of Ghosts

The opening track of Atlantis’s second full-length studio album on Field Records, fizzes and clangs with an industrial hue beneath a wash of synthy fuzz that perhaps wouldn’t sound out-of-place on the Blade Runner soundtrack. It sets the tone for what is in the main, a largely over-produced collision of analog and digital instruments in the vein of 65daysofstatic but with its own very distinctive character.

Having supported some big names and landed a slot on the formidable ZXZW festival, Atlantis could easily gather a reputation to match their gigantic sound. The bleeps and throbbing saw waves are complimented by heavy guitars that mosh along at a slower pace than that of any 65DoS record and so the easy-to-make comparison crumbles quickly. ‘She loves All’ establishes its self with a gargantuan riff, only to drop for a spooky and surreal female vocal that leads the track to its end across a pure stadium-rock lick backed by a gorgeous soft-synth.

There’s enough eclectic instrumentation here too with reflective piano arpeggios and live kit chopped up and splattered amidst glitchy breaks and splashes of colour. The electronic influence is nicely braced against the foundation of a heavy, 4/4 staple.

On the down-side, mid-way track ‘Sweet Venom’ builds up nicely with a mantra-like repetitiveness, only to drift off to a some-what disappointing end. It is quickly redeemed however by the dark and almost dubstep style kick and snare swing of ‘To Catch a Voyeur’. The 808 beat on this standout track transits smoothly in and out of a roomy pre-programmed live kit that facilitates the track’s infectious plod as if it had one foot on the stage of some epic stadium concert and the other on the dance floor of some grimey urban club.

Penultimate track ‘Inhale the Sun’ gives one-time label mates Maybeshewill a run for their money as it alternates between pounding, crispy IDM-style beats and vast, string-laden majesty.

The album closes with ‘Give Me One More Hour’, which follows an effective yet linear crescendo starting with a quiet dynamic characterised by a disturbing breathy synth sound and a bass line that jogs along unobtrusively until it builds towards a bluesy clean guitar lead and finally culminating a brief drop before exploding with loud, heavy climactic riffery reminiscent of Red Sparowes.

All in all, this is a powerful record and is likely to appease any fans of epic, electronic, instrumental rock (even if there are many like-minded bands of this ilk knocking around). It is by no means unique but not in the least bit generic either and well worth a listen!

4/5

Ash West-Mullen