Atena – Subway Anthem (Album Review)

Posted on September 25, 2023 by khwritingaus

Antena – Subway Anthem
Released: September 29, 2023

Line-up:

Vebjørn Iversen | guitar
Jakob Skogli | vocals
Ulrik Linstad | bass
Fredrik Kåsin | drums

Online:

Metalcore is not normally the genre of heavy music that comes to mind when we think about Norway, but Atena is here to change that. Hailing from Oslo, the band has been around for a little while now, but the singles off their latest album Subway Anthem have what caught our ears on the other side of the world.

Subway Anthem is a ride through the eras of metalcore. Riffs that feel inspired by of the giants of this genre’s classic era slip in nicely with the combination of programming and djent sounds to truly bring it into the modern era.

The first track ‘Ultra Ultimate Opus Power’, not just an epically named track, hits you in the face with a hardstyle beat and heavy as-hell guitars. Interludes that would pique fans of Pendulum’s curiosity and a drum ‘n’ bass breakdown combo that proves Electric Callboy’s theory that metalheads can in fact enjoy techno. To put it simply, it is a banger.

From one banger to another in less than a breath, ‘Hard Day’ is up next. One of the last released singles of the album, it is bordering on anthemic. Fredrik Kåsin is working overtime on the drums and the vocals are soaked in emotion.

Atena proves in an instant that they can do heavy, but there is more to this album. There is also a nostalgic feel with breakdowns and vocals that almost border into post-hardcore, it reminded me of my mid-00s love for Thrice, Story Of The Year etc. Tracks like ‘Bargain’ and ‘Subway Anthem’ clean up the distortion a little to give us some catchy, melodic riffs but the band’s talented rhythm section knows exactly when to drop the beat.

One of the most interesting things sonically is the vocals. It is not rare for metalcore to blend vocal styles of cleaner singing and harsh styles. With Atena the variation comes more with the clean singing than the harsh vocals. The vocal harmonies have a choral-like feel, a blend of voices harmonising over the melody. It just feels incredibly fresh for this style of music, giving the tracks more character.

Going back to an earlier observation, the digital sounds are present throughout the album and like the vocal harmonies, they do not stick to the standard sounds we have come to expect from metalcore. Much like how Void of Vision bring that more euro-drum ‘n’ bass sound to their music, Atena have a similar idea. ‘Poison Pure’ is an example of this.

‘Slip Away’ becomes a marker for the album. From this track onwards, it feels like we head more into analogue sounds. Faster, more punkier-sounding drums. Circle pit vibes. ‘Peeling Skin’ taps back into that post-hardcore sound mentioned earlier, but gives us little guitar moments that tickle the ear in the way we all secretly enjoy.

Then as we move through the second half of the album, instead of thick digital instrumentals, the sounds of strings and piano are what makes their sound more dynamic. ‘Leave’ is drenched in emotion, flicking between subtle instrumentals and huge crescendos. ‘Somebody’ gives us an opening that would tickle the fancy of any elder emo along with a level of angst in the lyrics that just feels oh so right.

Finishing off though, ‘Oh My’ really shows off the vocal range Jakob Skogli, at times even tapping into Gerard Way territory. Proving that they have more in the tank when it comes to anthemic sound, Atena flex their dynamic muscles from start to finish and this track is an incredible encapsulation of that. A marriage of elements that weaves a tapestry of a band that just is not afraid to draw from their influences and put their own spin on it.

Subway Anthem is the perfect album to introduce new listeners to exactly what this band can do. While there is of course room for this young band to improve and refine, there are all the makings of a band that came here to do great things. Their ability to channel and play inside and outside of the genre shines through and this kind of fresh production and songwriting is exactly what metalcore needs to grow and survive.