Atheris – Make / Believe

In general, February is a dark and rainy and cloudy month. It seems that the release of this peculiar month follow the mood of the weather. Somber, dark, and gloomy are most of the albums I have reviewed so far. I guess bands captured the feeling and added it to their music in order to honor the epoch of the year. “Make / Believe” is the first Atheris’s full-length presenting a band that besides advanced instrumental technique do know how to balance emotion and heavyness. A hard task that very few bands are able to accomplish, I must say. It’s not the same, but Atheris are somewhat inspired on Queenrÿsche. It’s not the music that is similar, but the grip and the desire of balancing emotion with heavyness, technique and heart, power and delicate. Second track “Afterglow” is the finest example of what I’m trying to say. The song mixes an anthemic choruses a la Power Metal with melodic guitars and an inspired vocal. If I had to suggest a track, and you know I never suggest anything, I’d say that one.

I have to say that this option Atheris made has two dangerous sides because it is easy to forget the needed and mandatory power to pay more attention to the melodic issues, and this is a killer option to a Metal band. However, Atheris seem to deal with this duality very weel. “As I Fly,” for instance, is a melodic ballad full of bleeding hearts, even so, its following “Martyr Pt I” is hard enough to make the hardcore fan forget the ballad. On the other hand, following track “Martyr Pt II” is a bit balanced with some bigger emotional load and an instrumental that reflects the vibe. I would call it a nervous track due to the wrath and grief it imposes to the fan. Be that as it may, the guitars give it a break that balances the hard emotional content.

“Make / Believe” is an album that has an inspired balance of power and emotion. It’s the album that the fan should listen not expecting the fastest and heaviest band ever, but a band that knows how to balance their emotion.

Atheris “Make / Believe” was released in 2019.

Track Listing:

  1. Crestfall
  2. Afterglow
  3. Pray for Rain
  4. As I Fly
  5. Martyr Pt I
  6. Martyr Pt II
  7. Fading with You
  8. Divergent
  9. Starborn Eyes
  10. Make / Believe

Watch “Make /Believe” official music video here: