Atreyu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Atreyu
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Atreyu performing in 2022. From left to right: Kyle Rosa, Dan Jacobs, Marc McKnight, Brandon Saller, and Travis Miguel.
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| Origin | Yorba Linda, California, U.S. |
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Atreyu is an American rock band from Yorba Linda, California. They formed in 1998. The band's music mixes different styles, often called metalcore or hard rock.
Today, the band members are Brandon Saller (who sings the main vocals), Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel (who play guitar), Marc "Porter" McKnight (who plays bass and sings louder, more aggressive vocals), and Kyle Rosa (who plays drums). Atreyu has released eight studio albums.
The Story of Atreyu
Early Days (1998–2000)
The band first started with the name "Retribution." But they soon changed it to "Atreyu." This new name came from a character in the fantasy book The Neverending Story by Michael Ende. They changed their name because their music style was changing, and they had new band members.
In 1998, Atreyu released their first independent music collection called Visions. It had seven songs and was sold at their live shows. Their next release was a shorter collection of five songs called Fractures in the Facade of Your Porcelain Beauty. This was put out by a smaller record company called Tribunal Records. Some songs from this collection were later re-recorded for bigger albums.
In 2001, Atreyu signed with Victory Records. This was a big step for them. The first band members included Alex Varkatzas (lead singer), Dan Jacobs (lead guitar), Travis Miguel (rhythm guitar), and Kyle Stanley (bass guitar). They didn't have a drummer until 1999. That's when Brandon Saller, a friend of the band, joined as the drummer.
Success with Victory Records (2001–2006)
After signing with Victory Records, Atreyu released their first studio album in 2002. It was called ... Notes and Butterfly Kisses. Brandon Saller started singing more on this album, especially in the choruses. Music videos were made for the songs "Ain't Love Grand" and "Lip Gloss and Black". The video for "Lip Gloss and Black" was played a lot on TV shows like Headbangers Ball. This helped Atreyu become more well-known.
Kyle Stanley, the bassist, left the band. Chris Thomson took his place for a short time. Then, Marc "Porter" McKnight joined as the new bassist in 2004.
The band's second album, The Curse, came out in 2004. It sold many copies. Atreyu also recorded a cover of Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name" for the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Their song "Her Portrait in Black" was on the soundtrack for Underworld: Evolution. Another song, "Right Side of the Bed," was in the racing video game Burnout 3: Takedown.
Atreyu released their third album, A Death-Grip on Yesterday, in March 2006. This album was very popular, reaching number 9 on the Billboard 200 music chart. The first song from the album, "Ex's and Oh's," was featured in the video game Madden NFL 07. People liked how the album balanced Brandon Saller's singing with Alex Varkatzas's more aggressive vocals.
New Labels and Tours (2007–2009)
In 2007, Atreyu signed new record deals. They joined Hollywood Records in America and Roadrunner Records for other countries. With these new labels, they started working on their fourth album, Lead Sails Paper Anchor. Before the album came out, they released a puzzle on their website. Fans had to put together audio clips to hear the new song "Becoming the Bull".
Lead Sails Paper Anchor was released in August 2007. It reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart. The American version of the album had a bonus song, a cover of "Epic" by Faith No More. The European and Australian versions had a cover of "Clean Sheets" by The Descendents. The album had a different sound for the band.
Atreyu went on tour in the United States in 2008 as part of the Taste of Chaos tour. They played with other bands like Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet for My Valentine. They also toured Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
In April 2008, Lead Sails Paper Anchor was re-released. It had new artwork, two bonus songs, and a DVD. From July to August 2008, Atreyu was part of Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution tour. They also performed at the KROQ-FM Epicenter '09 Show. There, they met fans and helped raise money for a group called Music Saves Lives.
Congregation of the Damned (2009–2010)
Atreyu's fifth album, Congregation of the Damned, came out in October 2009. A famous producer named Bob Marlette worked on it. The band said this album was "darker" and "heavier" than their past work. Lead singer Alex Varkatzas said it was a "mix of everything we've ever done."
The band went on tour with Hollywood Undead and Escape the Fate to promote the album. They played new songs like "Bleeding Is a Luxury" and "Gallows." Congregation of the Damned reached number 18 on the Billboard 200 chart. Atreyu also recorded a collection of cover songs called Covers of the Damned with other bands. They toured Australia in November 2010 and supported Bullet for My Valentine in the United Kingdom.
Taking a Break (2011–2013)
In January 2011, Alex Varkatzas announced that Atreyu was taking a break. They wanted to "recharge" and focus on other things in their lives. During this time, the band members worked on different music projects.
Brandon Saller, the drummer and singer, started a band called Hell or Highwater. He was the main singer in this band. Their album Begin Again came out in 2011. This music was different from Atreyu's, with only clean singing.
Travis Miguel, the guitarist, also started a project called Fake Figures. They released music in 2011. This band included members from other groups. Travis also toured with the band Trapt for about a year and a half.
In May 2013, Atreyu hinted on Facebook that they might be making new music. They asked fans if they wanted a new song. They also said they hoped to return to a sound similar to their second album, The Curse.
Coming Back Strong (2014–2017)
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On July 1, 2014, Atreyu officially announced they were back and making new music! They also planned to play live shows again. Their first show was in September 2014, followed by an appearance at the Aftershock Festival.
In September 2014, the band released a new song called "So Others May Live" for free on their website and YouTube. They also played at Slipknot's Knotfest in October 2014.
In April 2015, they released a special vinyl record for Record Store Day. It had "So Others May Live" and a new song called "When the Day Is Done." Only 1,000 copies were made.
On June 29, 2015, Atreyu announced their new album, Long Live. It was released on September 18. They also put out a music video for the song "Long Live." The album Long Live reached number 26 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In Our Wake and Changes (2018–2020)
In May 2018, it was suggested that Atreyu might release a new album later that year. On August 23, 2018, they released a song called "Anger Left Behind." They also announced that their new album, In Our Wake, would come out on October 12, 2018. Before the album, they released two more songs: "In Our Wake" (with a music video) and "The Time Is Now." Atreyu toured in Fall 2018 to support In Our Wake.
In August 2019, Atreyu announced a special tour to celebrate 20 years since the band started. Fans voted online to choose the 20 songs for the tour's setlist. The tour visited 27 cities.
In late 2020, there were rumors that singer Alex Varkatzas had left the band. After some time, the band officially announced on September 30 that they were parting ways with him.
Baptize and New Music (2020–Present)
In October 2020, the band released a new song called "Save Us." They also announced some changes to their lineup. Kyle Rosa joined as the new drummer. Brandon Saller would now focus only on singing the main vocals. Marc McKnight, the bassist, would take over the aggressive, screaming vocals.
On March 4, 2021, Atreyu announced their eighth album, Baptize. It was released on June 4, 2021, through Spinefarm Records. Before the album, they released two songs: "Warrior" (which featured Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker) and "Underrated."
In August 2023, Atreyu released a song called "The Moment You Find Your Flame." They also released a collection of songs called "A Hope For A Spark" in April of that year. These releases led up to their ninth studio album, The Beautiful Dark of Life, which was planned for late 2023.
Atreyu's Music Style
Atreyu's music has been described in many ways, including metalcore, post-hardcore, hard rock, and alternative metal. One music writer said that Atreyu is "too goth to be emo, too metal to be punk, and too brazenly emotional to be metal." Their music often includes parts of heavy metal, gothic rock, hardcore punk, and melodic death metal.
Guitarist Dan Jacobs has said he loves 1980s rock music. He tries to bring that style into Atreyu's songs. He also mentioned that the band is influenced by a type of metal music from Gothenburg, Sweden. Some bands they admire are Arch Enemy, In Flames, and Soilwork.
Band Members
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Current members
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Former members
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Timeline
Music Albums
Studio albums
- ... Notes and Butterfly Kisses (2002)
- The Curse (2004)
- A Death-Grip on Yesterday (2006)
- Lead Sails Paper Anchor (2007)
- Congregation of the Damned (2009)
- Long Live (2015)
- In Our Wake (2018)
- Baptize (2021)
- The Beautiful Dark of Life (to be published by the end of 2023)
See also
In Spanish: Atreyu (banda) para niños
