With Press To MECO calling it quits after this year’s 2000 Trees festival and Arcane Roots going their separate ways, it’s time for a new challenger to claim their place at the top of the UK’s alt-rock scene. With their debut album Dawn Chorus, Blank Atlas throw their hat into the ring with a varied mix of heavy, atmospheric and catchy tracks that come together to create an album that’s better than the sum of its parts. The Bristol trio, formed of twin brothers Dan and Tom Thould, on guitar and drums respectively, with bassist Chris Simpson, have already made a name for themselves with their live act, having played alongside veterans such as Puppy, Holding Absence and Salem.
Blank Atlas start as they mean to go on with opener ‘Flawless’, a relentlessly upbeat yet intricate track that sees the trio explore the limits of their sound. Blank Atlas’s three part harmonies are at the forefront of this track, with immense backing vocals elevating key moments in the chorus and creating an ethereal choir in the intro which flows elegantly into a powerhouse guitar riff. ‘Flawless’ really starts to shine when the more extravagant and intricate elements are stripped away and built back up, Blank Atlas have a clear understanding of dynamics and song structure and utilise them expertly here to keep the track grounded despite all the exaggerated layers.
“Blank Atlas have a clear understanding of dynamics and song structure and utilise them expertly”
Dawn Chorus acts as a fantastic portfolio of Blank Atlas’ varied and eclectic style, ranging from ethereal atmospheres to cheery alt-rock all the way to Meshuggah style chugging metal riffs. From ‘Beautiful Morning’ with its catchy chorus and airy clean guitar lines to ‘Eat Thy Neighbour’, which features brutal breakdowns, djent inspired guitar parts and guest vocals from Press To MECO’s Jake Crawford, the band flex their songwriting abilities across a number of different subgenres while keeping their unique sound intact.
‘Surrender’ stands out as a showcase of their varied songwriting talents, exemplifying their blend of catchy alt-rock and experimental, atmospheric textures. Forgoing any of the brutal riffs or harsh breakdowns that appear across the rest of the album, ‘Surrender’ takes an opening riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Delta Sleep track and builds the track around it, building up layers of drums, bass and vocal harmonies before stripping it all away with an acoustic and instrumental outro. It would’ve been all too easy to crescendo into a heavier breakdown, but the band take the road less travelled and the song is better for it, standing out from the rest of the tracks on the album by taking a more mellow approach. Despite this, the song’s outro ends up a little anticlimactic, starting its fade out too early; a few more bars of this vibey instrumental or another chorus would’ve really elevated the track.
Closing out their debut album with a bang, Blank Atlas are at their most unique on final tracks ‘Wash Away’ and ‘Give Up’. The former is an over the top power ballad reminiscent of Biffy Clyro’s best work, with punchy drums and soaring vocals. It’s an almost non-stop wall of sound, with huge sounding guitars and clear yet distorted bass lines that really make it feel immense. The brief acoustic section gives a glimpse of what could make for an interesting alternative version of the track, stripping back the band’s grandiose noise to a more intimate and personal feel. Closing track ‘Give Up’ compliments the band’s typical three piece setup with a simple synth line that grounds the more elaborate and atmospheric crescendo of the song. With emotive, positive lyrics and dynamic instrumentation Give Up is the perfect ending to a varied and creative debut album.
On Dawn Chorus, the band explore the depths of alt-rock songwriting, oscillating between heavy riffs and intricate ambience. It’s a glimpse into the trio’s potential with some great creative choices. With plenty of time to perfect their unique style, Blank Atlas are bound to become a force to be reckoned with.
“Blank Atlas flex their songwriting abilities across a number of different subgenres while keeping the band’s unique sound intact.”