If you’ve been even semi-adjacent to the Connecticut hardcore scene in recent years, then there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve heard the name Atonement. They released a six track EP titled Prelude to Agony in May of 2017, and have since built their name by opening for some of the biggest bands in northeastern hardcore, such as Sanction, Vein, Queensway, and Absolute Suffering. A year and-some-change removed since, the group return with a two-song EP, In Search of Divinity, which marks a big shift for the band stylistically.
While Prelude to Agony resembled bands like All Out War, Merauder, and Buried Alive, In Search of Divinity eschews that style for one closer to bands such as Zao and Turmoil. “Blood & Betrayal,” for example, is littered with constantly-shifting harmonies and dissonant chords, creating a more manic and active sound that what is found on earlier releases from the group. “In Search of Divinity” is slightly more calculated, with each section building to the next before ending in a frankly monstrous breakdown. The vocals are also well done, with a somewhat lower register than you’d usually hear from this type of metalcore that sets the band apart from their contemporaries, and the drumming is about as good as you can expect from a band of this nature - nothing out of the ordinary but certainly enough to keep the moshing going. Atonement have crafted a release that manages to pay tribute to their influences while also sounding fresh enough to not be compared 1:1 to any other bands. I highly suggest that you check this band out, especially if you’re from Connecticut or if you happen to be near any of the stops on their tour with Typecaste, .tourniquet., or Foreign Hands this summer. -Cesar G.
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