Ahh, this band…. After The Burial (ATB) is one of my favorite Djent bands. Their overall sound is technical and melodic. The vocals are strong and passionate. Overall 10/10 band.
The first time I saw them was back in 2016 for the Sumerian Records 10 Years in Black tour with Asking Alexandria, Born of Osiris, I See Stars, and (one of my all-time faves) Upon A Burning Body. I primarily went for Upon A Burning Body, but once ATB stepped on stage, I was in awe!!! Their stage presence is AWESOME and never they fail to put on a great show. Since then, I have seen ATB probably 5 times and they never get old. I remember one time I saw ATB, I was at Arizona Pete’s in Greensboro and I was in the front for their set, I was headbanging and jamming the entire time. Their guitarist, Trent, kept throwing guitar picks at me so I have tons of ATB picks now!
ATB is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They are signed to Sumerian Records and have released six full-length albums: Forging a Future Self (2006), Rareform [Re-Issue] (2008), In Dreams (2010), Wolves Within (2013), Dig Deep (2016), and Evergreen (2019). To me, Dig Deep is probably one of their best albums, not because of the sound of the record (which is awesome) but the story behind the album. In 2015, founder and rhythm guitarist, Justin Lowe (RIP), was found dead. He was missing and a hiker found his body beneath a bridge. His car was found on the side of the bridge. Authorities believe that the cause of his death was with a fall.
This was a hard time for the band because they were working on their upcoming album, Dig Deep. The band said that they weren’t going to finish the album but with the love and support from their fans, they decided to finish it after all. There is so much emotion on this album and I am so proud of this band for sticking together and being there for one another. You can also hear the same emotion and aggression on their latest album, Evergreen, which their vocalist, Anthony Notarmaso, said to be a continuation of Dig Deep. One of my favorite songs off of Dig Deep is Laurentian Ghosts. The opening riff you hear is actually a mix done by Lowe and was added to the song. It gave me chills when I first heard it.
Overall, this band is great. I love what they stand for, their courage, and their fight to press on and continue to make music. Respect.
Favorite Songs: Lost In The Static, Behold The Crown, and Laurentian Ghosts
Stay Metal,
THE SAW