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Jumping right to the point on this one, Atena should be on the radar of everyone who loves fresh, energetic and emotionally charged modern metalcore. I cannot claim to be familiar with their earlier work and have three older records to go through with absolute pleasure, but their latest offering Subway Anthem ticks all the boxes for me and I find it to be extremely significant in the context of 2023, especially from a relatively unknown Norwegian band with all but an indie label behind their backs. The boys at Atena have given us an absolute beauty of a record, a wonderful blend of contemporary genre fluidity, creative approach to songwriting and production, and umissable Scandinavian sensibility.
I first noticed Atena back in 2021 with their single 'Flash! -THUNDER' that was as wild as you can get on a modern metalcore banger so I immediately took note to keep a close eye on the guys. With a series of outstanding singles starting with 'Slip Away' from late last year all the way to 'Hard Day' from this Summer, and Subway Anthem became one of the hottest underground gems for 2023. Having listened to its magnificent 37 minutes on repeat I have no doubt it is much more than that, easily the breakthrough of this year and the start of something big, a proof of Atena's huge present significance and unlimited future potential.
Musically, Subway Anthem is an intricate puzzle of diverse influences and tropes that needs a few concentrated listens to fully comprehend. On the surface, it is a solid metalcore record with all the intensity, energy and honesty expected from modern greats. As you dive deeper, a distinctive alt-rock and indie flavours emerge between unexpected electronic breakbeats, vast soundscapes, intense vocal tirades, poetic deviations, and beautiful proggressive arrangements. A wonderful world of twists and turns, changing moods and themes, and conflicting emotions, starting with its primal pit-starting intro 'Ultra Ultimate Opus Power' and maintaining a steady course in excellence to the fading notes of 'Oh My'.
Instrumentally, Vebjørn Iversen (guitars), Ulrik Linstad (bass) and Fredrik Kåsin (drums) demonstrate striking synergy, typical for established arena headliners. The guitarwork is truly captivating, the bass adds a distinctive flavour, while the drum parts compliment the picture perfectly and steal the show at certain parts, all polished by the maestro Henrik Udd (Bring Me The Horizon, Architects, Dayseeker). Speaking of others, there is plenty to unpack here, with parts of Subway Anthem echoing the bands mentioned above, as well as Enter Shikari, While She Sleeps, and Holding Absence, whilst others evoking the fresh blood across the Aussie heavy scene with the likes of Windwaker, Banks Arcade and Ocean Grove.
All this said, while everyone is at its finest, Jakob Skogli's vocals take central stage and easily outshine everyone. Between raw metal growls, hardcore shouts, seamless chants, spoken tales and intimate whispers, he is stunningly versatile and flexible, switching from screaming his heart out to poetic narratives, conveying every emotion and telling every story loud, clear and mesmerising. Without a single moment of hesitation or predictability, Jacob's vocal and lyrical masterclasses reaches absolute peaks on songs like 'Leave', which is also where that unique Scandinavian honesty and characteristic way of seeing the world around us, shines through the most and makes Subway Anthem stand out even more.
If you have to be extremely picky, Subway Anthem is not something we have never heard before, but is definitely something we haven't heard in THIS way. It's a brilliant soundtrack to our hectic daily routines, a theme song to getting lost in the urban jungle. Real, gritty, direct, genuine, with no filters or compromises, like a close friend that won't hold back anything just to spare your feelings, when all you need is some good oldfashioned honesty.
All in all, Subway Anthem is one of those albums that keeps you on the edge emotionally, musically, and lyrically. This might not be Atena's first album but I have a feeling it might be the one that finally puts them on everyones radar where they so deserve to be. Exciting times ahead for the boys, but for now all we can say is thank you for the amazing music and I hope this album brings as much joy to others as it did to me!
Atena - 'Subway Anthem
Country: Norway
Released: 29 September 2023
Label: Indie Recordings
Tracklisting:
1. 'Ultra Ultimate Opus Power'
2. 'Hard Day'
3. 'Bargain'
4. 'Subway Anthem'
5. 'Poison Pure'
6. 'Slip Away'
7. 'Peeling Skin'
8. 'Leave'
9. 'Somebody'
10. 'Oh My'
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