Photo by Mike Dardas, text by Thung Design
On June 17, Glens Falls-based rock band Seize Atlantis released their latest EP, Ruins Rebuilt. A five-song project, bandleader James Mullen says the award-winning group’s newest release “represents the process of coming face to face with the adversity we all go through when exploring personal trauma.” He continues, “It’s about looking inward, coming to terms with the things you need to change about yourself and also the unhealthy patterns in our relationships with ourselves as well as the people around us.”
The record opens with “Hide,” a contemplative song that starts off with an acoustic guitar strumming open chords. The other instruments pour in gradually, with the full band coming in at around the one minute mark. “Hide” becomes heavier and grittier as the song goes on, with its final bars sounding vastly different from the beginning. Lyrics such as “There’s a piece I’m trying to find / But the maps are written in a dead language,” and “I’ve been down this road before / It’s gonna shake me to my core,” indicate searching for something missing internally, a feeling which many listeners can relate.
The next track, entitled “I Need It,” proves to be a standout song on the album. A snappy drum beat and irresistible bass line kick off the tune, and lead seamlessly into the tune’s memorable melody. These colorful grooves continue throughout the album and can be heard best on the next song, “Monster.” The effects used by Mullen and lead guitarist Luc Bourgault prove to be distinct, particularly on “Crawl,” whose sound is reminiscent of songs such as “Aneurysm” by Nirvana and “La Grange” by ZZ Top. The breaks between verses spotlight bassist Mike Dardas once again, filling those spaces with powerful bass licks.
On the final track, entitled “Cosmos,” the band has a unique way of creating a prominent atmosphere for this song, as the music quite literally sounds like outer space. The guitar effects are spacey yet gritty–the chords ring out in a way that transcends the listener. Complete with galactic drums by Cody Platt, the music is not the only standout part of this song. Mullen’s songwriting shines the most on this track, as he paints a picture of an out-of-this-world romance with lyrics metaphorizing the galaxy.
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