HARDROCK MUSIC

Atreyu is a metalcore band from Orange County, California. The band consists of vocalist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller. The band was originally named "Retribution" but later changed their name to "Atreyu" after the character of the same name from the fantasy book (movie) The Neverending Story when they found out that another band from Hemet, California had been using their original name.[2] Formed in 1998, the band have since released four studio albums, Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses, The Curse, A Death-Grip on Yesterday and Lead Sails Paper Anchor, each of which have sold more than 200,000 copies.


History

[edit] 1999-2000: Independent years
Atreyu currently consists of drummer Brandon Saller, vocalist Alex Varkatzas, bassist Marc McKnight and guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel.[3][4] During the independent years though, the members were only Brandon, Alex, Dan and Kyle Stanley. The band changed its name to Atreyu after the character in The Neverending Story, which was suggested by a friend, Scott Lloyd, aka The Mess.[5]

In 1999, Atreyu released an independent 7-track EP titled Visions. The album was sold at their live performances. Their second release, was a short 5-track 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.[6]


[edit] 2001-2006: Signing to Victory Records
In 2001, Atreyu signed with Victory Records, who were famous for signing young, upstart emocore and metalcore bands and making them successful, later releasing in 2002 their first full-length album Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses. 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.[7] Atreyu's second album, The Curse, was released in 2004, selling 300,000 copies.[6] The band was then featured on the soundtrack to the film Mr. and Mrs. Smith with a cover of Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name".[8] Atreyu was also featured on the Underworld Evolution Soundtrack with "Her Portrait in Black." "Right Side Of Bed" also appeared on the Burnout 3 Soundtrack , a racing game for the Xbox and PS2.

In 2006, Atreyu released its third studio album A Death-Grip on Yesterday on March 28, 2006. The album peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200, with sales of 69,000.[9] The album was said to have a balance of Brandon Saller's melodic singing vocals and Varkatzas's aggressive screaming.[10] The album was met with positive reviews though, as IGN called the album "A brief but potent hissy fit."[11]


[edit] 2007-present: Signing to Hollywood Records
In early 2007, Atreyu signed a record deal with Hollywood Records for America and an international deal with Roadrunner Records. With a new label, the band began to prepare its fourth studio album. A jigsaw puzzle was released on the band's website, as the goal was to put all the audio clips of the single, "Becoming the Bull" into correct order, forming the whole song.[12] The album was received with mixed reviews, and was a notable change in sound for the band.

Lead Sails Paper Anchor was released on August 28, 2007, and debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 43,000 copies.[13] The American release of the album had a bonus track, a cover of the song "Epic" by Faith No More while the European and Australian bonus track was a cover of "Clean Sheets" by The Descendents.

They toured in the United States, in the Taste of Chaos 2008 tour, along side bands such as Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for My Valentine, Blessthefall. The band also toured with co-headliners Avenged Sevenfold and Bullet for My Valentine in Australia and New Zealand, to positive reactions from audiences and stated on a blog on their myspace that they're planning another tour down there later in the year.

Atreyu will be headlining the Revolution Stage of Linkin Park's Projekt Revolution tour in the summer of 2008.

On April 22, 2008, Lead Sails Paper Anchor was re-released with two previously unreleased bonus tracks, a DVD, and a digital booklet. It also featured new cover art. A trailer was released promoting the CD on their MySpace page.

On May 23, 2008, Varkatzas was forced to drop out of two shows - the shows being May Day in Indianapolis and Balloon Fest in El Paso - due to a throat infection, which resulted in Saller and McKnight taking over vocal duties for both dates.

Apart from being on the US Taste of Chaos they are also headlining the international leg of the tour. Other bands playing are Story of the Year, As I Lay Dying and Mucc. Travis Miguel stated that the band will do "whatever it takes" to get food on the road. [14]


[edit] Discography
Main article: Atreyu discography
2002: Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses
2004: The Curse
2006: A Death-Grip on Yesterday
2007: Lead Sails Paper Anchor

[edit] Band members

[edit] Current members
Alex Varkatzas – lead vocals (1998–present)
Dan Jacobs – lead guitars, rhythm guitars, and live backing vocals (1998–present)
Travis Miguel – rhythm & lead guitars (2001–present)
Marc McKnight – bass, vocals (2003–present)
Brandon Saller – drums, percussion, vocals (1998–present)

[edit] Former members
Chris Thomson - bass (2000-2002)
Brian O'Donnell - bass (1999-2000)
Kyle Stanley - bass (1998-1999)