Into their third album (titled Built To Last), Atlas is a British band who define their music as a “progressive melodic rock”, tending more towards the latter with added keyboard flourishes.

James Thorley’s their keyboard player and he formed the band back in 2017, while alongside him there’s Craig Wells (Lead vocals), Howie Little (Lead guitars), Chris Redfearn (bass guitar), and Ryan Briggs (drums) as they tear their way through an even dozen tightly played numbers.

Harrowing orchestrated keyboards are met by a heavy chugging guitar, presaging a do-or-die AOR vocal plea with hook line chorus, that charismatically take a more gang-like chanted attitude each time it comes round again. Aptly, this opening number is called ‘All Or Nothing’, and amid all the hue and cry, just prior to the song tipping into the three minute mark, a guitar sustains then enigmatically shreds a brief but tasty solo, that continues to provoke one’s interest.

With crushing guitars, big screams and wide harmonies, there are moments of introspection followed by wellbeing anthemic cries of hope in ‘You’re Not Alone’, that’s pretty much purpose built for the times we live in. Delivered via morse chord-like staccato chords ‘One More Night’ is a plea that you just know isn’t going to go right, but you need to keep listening for the guitar solos, of which there a few. ‘Another Heartbreak’ tends to prove the last track’s hopes were dashed, this number races along pretty much unrelentingly, the vocals screeching alongside with high harmonies.

A compelling pedalling guitar arpeggio, big fluffy keyboards and a distanced echoed big drum sound give us the ballad ‘Tears’, with Wells going for the top of his range uncomfortably as it develops. By comparison, ‘Unfamiliar Love’ finds the singer adding grit to the melody of his voice as it rises above the song’s urgent riffing, keyboard playing that ranges from the brief jazz-like intro, AOR holding chords and prog based solo. The song’s a winner, at moment Journey-like but then decidedly more UK melodic rock styled. More failed relationships are outlined in ‘Just Like That’ that keeps the scorecard high – With a frontline vocal attack, the song is a catchy earworm, not least with the big hook choruses a little reminiscent of Toto, but when you listen more seriously the musical melody turns out to be quite a tricky involved piece of work with assorted inspired keyboard melodies, especially on the synthesiser, and the tone from Little’s guitar during his solo nothing to be sneezed about.

Split over sections, is the ‘Chasing Portraits’ suite taking up around a quarter of your listening time all told, though you can just as easily listen to each part individually, and there’s a good deal going on musically within each of those, especially part 1, ‘Lonely Hearts’ is where they start earning their “progressive credentials” from an evocative weaving guitar intro to varying keyboard embellishments, irregular rhythm sections, all going up a couple of extra notches around minutes in as solos ensue, plus there’s a compelling heartfelt lead vocal, despite which the overriding theme throughout this album of still being besotted by a lost love can be a little claustrophobic one song after another, and as a concept piece here possibly too much, despite the fact the music’s good. part II, ‘Closer To The Picture’ takes on a wider anthemic big chorus feel, part III, ‘Painted Memories’ is more reflective vocally and musically as it all heads to an angst-drenched climax.

‘Bury A Lie’ is Built To Last’s heavy hitter, even the melody of its chorus lines spat out with anger, the album the rounded off with ‘Best Is Yet To Come’ in the same mould but a bouncier, more cheerful and optimistically redemptive manner.

At times coming across like a more reserved British version of Journey, or perhaps a stiff upper-lip Bad English since they tend to rock out more. Atlas has the musical chops, and some good songs, expanding their thematical remit could see them extending their fanbase.

• Reviewed by Paul H Birch.
• Built To Last is released via Metalapolis Records/SPV and is available now (from here).
• Official Website

Track List:

1. All Or Nothing
2. You’re Not Alone
3. One More Night
4. Another Heartbreak
5. Tears
6. Unfamiliar Love
7. Just Like That
8. Chasing Portraits I: Lonely Hearts
9. Chasing Portraits II: Closer To The Picture
10. Chasing Portraits III: Painted Memories
11. Bury A Lie
12. Best Is Yet To Come