Atreyu Is a five-piece metalcore band from Orange County, California that formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer and vocalist Brandon Saller. The band was originally named “Retribution” but, when they found out that another band from Hemet, California had been using the name, they changed their name to “Atreyu,” after the character from the fantasy movie The Neverending Story (by Michael Ende) .

History

Early Years

Atreyu formed in sunny, bright Orange County, California back in 1998, originally under the name Retribution, but then changed their name to Atreyu, a fictional character from The Neverending Story because the band members at that time deemed the name more fitting to the band, and the fact that a band from Hemet, California had already taken the name.

Atreyu’s independent EP release, Visions was released somewhere between 1998 and 1999, and was sold at their live performances. Their second release, Fractures in the Facade of Your Porcelain Beauty was a short EP released by underground label Tribunal Records and featured tracks that would be re-worked in later releases. Atreyu signed with Victory Records in 2001, and their most critically acclaimed works would be to come from these releases.

Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses

In 2001, Atreyu signed with Victory Records, who were famous for signing young, upstart metalcore bands and making them successful. In 2002, Atreyu released their first full-length release, Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses. The album was a smash-hit among critics and metalcore fans worldwide. The band’s aggressive, raw riffs mixed with Alex Varkatzas’s mind-blowing throat-led screams made the album a success. The band also introduced another singer, Brandon Saller, the drummer, who would become more prolific in their later releases, but in this album, his parts were most confined to choruses, and only in certain songs at that.

Commercial Success (The Curse, A Death-Grip on Yesterday)

Atreyu’s second album, The Curse, was a radical departure from Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, as the album had slightly more singing, and focused a lot more on song structure and deep, dark lyrics… The album also had somewhat of a metal vibe, that only increased due to the song titles, lyrical subjects, and Victory Records’ multitude of successful metalcore acts that came from that label. Despite Victory’s history of metal bands, Atreyu still remained distant from anything emo and had much more of a dark and gothic feel.

In 2006, Atreyu released their third full-length LP, entitled A Death-Grip on Yesterday that helped further Atreyu’s move towards the mainstream. The album was another musical change for Atreyu, yet remained too heavy for radio play, despite the hits Ex’s And Oh’s and The Theft. The album focused a bit more on a good balance of Brandon Saller’s melodic singing vocals and Varkatzas’s aggressive screaming, although Varkatzas’ can be heard exploring a more melodic side of vocals. The album was met with positive reviews though, as IGN called the album “A brief but potent hissy fit.” [3]

Lead Sails Paper Anchor

In early 2007, Atreyu signed a record deal with Hollywood Records, and began to prepare their next album, Lead Sails Paper Anchor. The rumor was that Atreyu would continue in the more mainstream path A Death-Grip on Yesterday had taken them on account of the success of the short EP. In early 2007, Atreyu released a jigsaw puzzle on their website of sorts, as the goal was to put all the audio clips of their new single, Becoming the Bull into correct order, forming the whole song. The album leaked a few days before it’s release, and in matter of no time, reviews came out that criticized the album, as the album itself features very little of Atreyu’s once prolific, trademark screaming, in favor for more signing as a whole.

Touring

In 2006, they went on tour with Every Time I Die, Chiodos, and From First to Last. They kicked From From First to Last off of The World Championship Tour because the band’s lead singer could not perform with them due to vocal nodules. From First to Last wanted to stay on the tour and Chiodos front man Craig Owens offered to fill in on vocals but Atreyu insisted that they could not stay on the tour. They also were on the Ozzfest 2006 second stage alongside Black Label Society, Norma Jean, Bad Acid Trip, Between the Buried and Me, Walls of Jericho, Full Blown Chaos, The Red Chord. As well as Taste Of Chaos 2006 with Deftones, As I Lay Dying, dredg, Funeral for a Friend, Thrice, Silverstein, Story of the Year, Thursday, Greeley Estates, The Receiving End of Sirens, Millionaire, Adair, Broke, The SmashUp, Pellican, Street Drum Corps, The Confession. They were featured on the Family Values Tour 2007 with KoЯn, Evanescence, Flyleaf, Trivium, Hellyeah and Neurosonic. After Family values, They were invited by Linkin Park to accompany them on the Projekt Revolution Tour, 2008 along with: Armor for Sleep, 10 Years, Hawthorne Heights, Street Drum Corps, ASHES dIVIDE, The Bravery, Chris Cornell, and Linkin Park. They will embark on a Full US and EU tour carrying them into winter.

Band members

Brandon Saller - drums, vocals (1998-present)
Alex Varkatzas - vocals (1998-present)
Dan Jacobs - guitar (1998-present)
Travis Miguel - guitar (2001-present)
Marc McKnight - bass, backup vocals (2002-present)