Lead Sails Paper Anchor

Few bands can seize a dying genre from the grips of death, and no genres have needed such seizing the way that "mo music"--screamo, emo--has of late. Thankfully, Atreyu's latest entry in the rock & roll endurance Olympics, Lead Sails Paper Anchor, does that almost singlehandedly by eschewing allegiance to clichés and the staid sonic principles that keep lesser bands stuck in the land of the minor musical leagues. The Orange County collective's rarely sounded as voracious and vicious as it does on the opening "Doomsday," a smash-and-grab cut that calls to mind the halcyon days of Slayer. There, as on "When Two Are One" and the attitudinal, almost glam "Blow," you understand that heavy music is fully alive and well and in good hands. The band sounds primed for major attention as "Honor," "Falling Down," and "Becoming the Bull" all seem tailored for the bash and bang of arenas and stadiums. The more pop-oriented material ("Lose It," "No One Cares," "Slow Burn") will likely stir controversy and for good reason--this band's too good at cracking skulls to take prolonged and earnest respites in the land of hit singles. But everyone's gotta grow up sometime and Lead Sails is the sound of Atreyu shedding its minor-league skin. The breadth of sounds, moods, and emotions covered here add up to the elements of one powerful--and potentially classic--album. --Jedd Beaudoin

ATREYU's first single, BECOMING THE BULL, is featured in the forthcoming EA Sports video game, Madden '08. The previous Madden video game sold over 5 million units. ATREYU is appearing in the third slot before Korn and Evanescence on the 2007 Family Values tour. The tour kicks off on July 20 and runs through September 2. ATREYU is well-established among the most popular alternative tours of the summer: They headlined the second stage of 2006 Ozzfest and were a headliner on the 2005 Warped Tour.