Massachusetts' quartet, Arrows Over Athens have set out to build upon the blocks of their solid output with their latest six-track EP, Myths, Monsters, And The Maker, which is out now on Take This To Heart Records.
Arrows Over Athens brandish every nuance of innovative artistry, guaranteed to undermine a plethora of active bands within the independent scene today, on all fronts imaginable, displayed thoroughly on Myths, Monsters, And The Maker. From the endearing aesthetic that Arrows Over Athens adopt, projecting the themes of Greek mythology, which evident on song titles that reference these ancient myths (“Eros And The Vulcan”, “Atlas”, and “Marathon; 490 BC (Times Have Changed). It is this aesthetic that sits at the root of the band's potency and conjoins the pieces of the proverbial mosaic.
Myths, Monsters, And The Maker sets off with opener “Thirty Years Peace”, which displays a short burst of grace as it stomps through with thunderous blast-beats and a titillating display of layering harmonies from both vocalist/guitarist Randy Burlingame and vocalist/bassist Michelle Herrick. Arrows Over Athens show an eager incentive to capitalize on the promise shown initially on this track.
“Give Me Somewhere To Stand” is brief (clocking in at barely two minutes and ten seconds), displaying bouncy rhythmic moments that could sway the most resistant of listeners. The real treat, however, is old fan favourite “Atlas”, which makes a return from Arrows Over Athens' first EP of the same name. “Atlas” now, however, sounds revitalized, being evident of sounding grander with age. The allusions to the Greek God Atlas in Burlingame’s words (infamous in Greek Mythology with being cursed to hold the weight of the world), “Atlas, take this weight off my shoulders / I’m a slave to this place / Won’t you grant me my escape...”, only exacerbates the angst projected through the vocals of Herrick and Burlingame, which act as the double-edged celestial steel of a sword. Here, each descending sail through the air threatens to reduce you to your knees.
During the latter portion of Myths, Monsters, And The Maker on “And I Will Move The Earth” and “Eros And The Vulcan”, Arrows Over Athens show the stretch that their musicianship can endure. Musically, Arrows Over Athens reflect a side where the band strike a resemblance to a time of independent music during the mid 2000s where the poppy mesh of alternative punk ruled the world; a respective portal into the independent scene in 2005. However, it is on “Eros And The Vulcan” where the counterpart and ambience of progressive rock that lightly lace the band’s sound are also evident.
On closer, “Marathon; 490 BC (Times Have Changed)”, Arrows Over Athens bridge both counterparts together, showing how well-suited they are when they co-exist. Arrows Over Athens draw the EP to a close with a soothing group vocal-charged song bridled with “woahs” aplenty, finally drawing the curtains with a piano-led opus; an apt cinematic end close and glimpse into the next chapter for this Massachusetts band.
Tracklist:
1. Thirty Years' Peace
2. Give Me Somewhere To Stand
3. Atlas
4. And I Will Move The Earth
5. Eros & The Vulcan
6. Marathon; 490 BC (Times Have Changed)
RIYL: All We Know Is Falling-era Paramore, late Emery
Rating:
Written by Aaron Akeredolu
