A Death-Grip on Yesterday

A Death-Grip on Yesterday is Atreyu's third album, on which they further honed urgent riffs and singable choruses to strengthen metalcore's emotional expression. Following the previous The Curse's success, it aims for bigger, more universal songs while keeping hardcore-derived aggression. Debuting at No. 9 on the US Billboard 200 — their first top ten — it is an important record showing the band's popularity had become firmly established. Experiences on the 2005 Vans Warped Tour are said to have encouraged bigger, more open songwriting, and it went on to ship close to 400,000 copies. The advance single and signature song "Ex's and Oh's" features Dan Jacobs's brilliant guitar solo and an incisive hook. From the opener "Creature" and "Shameful," with guest vocals, to the racing "The Theft," distinct songs continue. The contrast between Alex Varkatzas's screams and Brandon Saller's clean singing grows more refined, powerfully brought together under producer Josh Abraham. It is an accomplished work closing out their Victory Records era.