Atriarch – “Dead As Truth” Album Review by R.G.B. Robb

Atriarch—“Dead As Truth” Relapse Records; 08/11/17— If you are like me, when it gets too sunny or hot outside—and you are tired of hearing the laughter of the neighbors’ children as they play in the summer sun—you need an album to fill the day with the gloom of a thousand rainy nights, and I have found the perfect remedy. Atriarch and their album Dead As Truth is one of the few albums I’ve heard that can immediately transport you to a completely different emotional space. With a sound which combines the death rock of early Christian Death and Samhain, sprinkled sparingly with doom-laden overtones similar to Frowning, and vocals that traverse between the styles of melancholy chants, low-pitched growls, and anguished sounds that hearken towards the cold screeches found in black metal, you can rest assured that there is nothing on the record that could be considered “chipper.” The cuts “Devolver” and “Repent” are the most up-tempo expressions of rage found on the release; they show what happens when the band lets loose and allows the off-kilter, melodic—and otherwise somber—elements found in death rock after giving it a shot of pure adrenaline (particularly with the blast-beats found in the later). Though both are definite songs of note, it’s in their longer pieces—specifically “Void” and “Hopeless”—where the relentlessness of their depressive and dark core is truly exemplified. Of course, the music is only half of the package; don’t fret, the lyrics are mired in just as much sorrow as the rest of their art. Though an album I see getting a lot of repeat listens, I’m unsure if they will be back-to-back … even I needed a respite from the sorrow eventually.—R.G.B. Robb Share this: