Review: “Retrogression Part 1: Egomania” by Agony Atlas

A concept release with a story marks the debut EP from Koblenz, Germany Progressive Technical Metallcore outfit Agony Atlas, a band with a wealth of prior experience. Vocalist Liane Walter is in Deathlesson and formerly in Incertain; guitarist, keys and programmer Christoph Fuchs in Karabooza, formerly Sixfinger and Timeshift Passenger; Drummer Markus Moewis formerly graced the stool for At Daggers Drawn and is still an active member of Henko Kano; lastly guitarist Andreas Nieratschker also took part in the Deathlesson madness while having formerly been a member of I.NO.Y. They have been together in this new outfit since 2019, getting the opportunity to have Aljoscha Sieg Mix and Master their debut having done the same for August Burns Red, Any Given Day and We Butter The Bread With Butter at his Pitchback Studios is a real coup for them. The story goes: “We’re in the year 2095. Planet earth is on its rushing way down into the abyss. The United Nations put together a group of leading international scientists to prevent that decay. For the scientists, a journey back in time is the only possibility left. A journey back into the year 2020, back to the turning point of mankinds‘ history. The name of this newly established organization: Agony Atlas. Therefore they put a team together to shake up the society of that decade. With images of all that is to come, unless widespread action is taken: Wars, catastrophes, hunger and distress – ultimately linked to the downfall of Earth and thereby also the whole of mankind.”

The Progressive Metalcore sub-genre is one which is littered with bands who could be branded with a multitude of other genre tags who happen to be caught up in the swell; so let’s tell it like it is; Walter generates some serious throat shredding power when it comes to opening cut “Economy Class“; she’s a banshee capable of giving former Arch Enemy vocalist Angela Gossow a run for her money. Add to that a melting pot of icy synths and orchestral touches to a mid tempo thunder storm of a track that also has more than a nod to Melodic Death Metal acts like In Flames and you get the idea where they might be coming from. “Egomania” brings with it programming, synths and almost DJent moments with some power shifting groove, staccato riff breaks and well balanced tempo shifts. It seems that Walter’s is best suited to delivering her powerful uncleans over mid tempo crushers; her voice gives the title track an anthemic quality while the scream-a-long chorus is what singles are made from. The first song to bring any lyrical profanity to it is “Hymn of Hatered“, another one soaked in a Metalcore riff that is just below DJent. Perhaps the lyrical content takes influence from Nu-Metal; it has that same sort of style in the way it’s driven but groove for days that will make it a floor filling anthem at Metal clubs. The electronics add another dimension and act as embellishments upon which the rest of the music hangs. Expect to see Agony Atlas on the European Festival circuit before too long, they have what it takes to whip up an audience into a frenzy [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. Economy Class
2. Egomania
3. Hymn of Hatered

“Retrogression Part 1: Egomania” by Agony Atlas is out 1st October, pre-orders are available here.