Self-dubbed as “Northcore”, Finland’s Atlas started off with their own take on the metalcore, djent, and adjacent styles but over time their sound has evolved to incorporate a much wider range. By 2021’s Ukko they had begun incorporating elements of folk music from their homeland and expanded some of the melodic and atmospheric sides of their sound without losing that heavier foundation. Quite some time has passed since Ukko but the arrival of album number three, Sunder, makes it clear that this extended incubation period has pushed Atlas even further into new territory. With the instrumentation and vocals covering everything from gothic metal to even melodic doom, there’s a lot of variety crammed into Sunder’s eight tracks.
Atlas doesn’t initially reveal just how much it’s expanded into atmospheric territory, as “Tower” and “Salt and Sulphur” come in with extremely heavy instrumentation. “Tower” feels like the trademark type of djent the group has offered over their past two albums, as you get some weightier grooves and faster blasts but there are also some mid-tempo passages that have slight hints of nu-metal. “Salt and Sulphur” continues along this path but does pivot to a sweeping chorus that lets the melodies soar and hints at what is still to come on the rest of the album. But once you reach “I Whisper Your Name Like A Curse” the sound shifts significantly, slowing things down to a doom-like pace with colder atmospheric melodies taking the spotlight over top of lumbering bass and drum work. It’s much closer in sound to something like HIM or even Swallow the Sun, and while that may initially seem like a bit of an unexpected direction Atlas showcases how well they can do it. There are dips back into heavier core riffs for the remainder of the album, but it becomes an additional element rather than the foundation and the gothic, somber melodies take over. Sunder is at its best when it finds this balance between subdued moments that are drenched in emotion and explosive outbursts that reinforce everything metal. The title track closes things out with a soft and reflective soundscape that is genuinely haunting but given the brevity of the rest of the album I did find myself wanting either one more song or one that expanded outwards for a longer period of time.
The vocals cover a wide span of harsh and clean pitches, and this is another area where Atlas excels. Initially the performance is much harsher with lower growls, but “Tower” has some moodier spoken word that feels like it was ripped out of late 90s/early 2000s era nu-metal. Once you get to “I Whisper Your Name Like A Curse” things open up further, as things shift over almost entirely to singing and the pitch sounds very close to HIM’s Ville Vallo at certain points. But this isn’t the only style Atlas has in store for listeners, as the singing on “Altar of Your Love” is closer to other Finnish melodic death/doom bands rather than HIM and makes it clear just how dynamic of a performance this album offers. Admittedly those looking for more of the harsher screams and growls may find they’re a bit sparser and emphasized on specific tracks, but I found the shift made for a genuinely engaging listen.
Based on the couple singles I heard, it wasn’t clear if Atlas had fully shifted over to gothic rock/metal and doom but there are still some crushingly heavy metalcore/djent elements, especially early on. The combination of styles works well, and there are some truly beautiful and captivating moments to be found in between the more aggressive ones. It does feel like the album could use one more track or a lengthier one similar to “Pohjannaula” from Ukko, but this is still a strong effort I’ve found myself wanting to return to on a regular basis. Sunder is available from Odyssey Music Network.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg