Metal Underground.com

Atilla’s third studio album “Rage” is a de-alcoholized beer and red bull fueled chunk of adolescent deathcore, although it’s extremely unfair to label this album as deathcore, because even the worst of the genre isn't as bad as this. Filled to the rim and overflowing with slow chugging breakdowns, middle school Facebook-inspired lyrics, ADHD vocals, and an occasional pop-punk tinge, Attila delivers it’s self-proclaimed “death metal party rock” to the world. Unfortunately.

“Rage” is packed end to end with everything that makes an album bad. The earliest indication of this is the vocals, which change far too often and at completely random moments. From the stereotypical deathcore grunt to gang vocal chants and pop-punk squeals, the vocals are unbearable at best and about half way through the record they become laugh inducing. Then there are the just as random guitar spurts that change from the slowest out of time breakdowns to melodic death metal leads in an instant, without any purpose or structure. It’s as if every member of the band draws influence from an entirely different genre, and since they don't have the skills to pull off progressive metal they chose deathcore as their outlet.

It’s obvious Attila does not care how bad “Rage” is, as the lyrics for “Make It Sick” proclaim: “I don't give a fuck if you like this song...we do whatever we want, and we will never give a fuck if you like it or not!” Well then, that is reassuring. At least they are passionate about creating horrible music.

The worst part of this album is surprisingly not the vocals or the amateur musicianship. As shown above, it’s by far the lyrics that drag this one down. Every song makes an effort to promote severe alcoholism, getting as high as possible on drugs, and the excessive use of the word “Fuck.” When not talking about those delicate and profound subjects they still make it a point not to tread above the middle school level when it comes to insight and intelligence. Seeing as only kids in their early teens would be interested in a band like this, I guess Attila has its marketing strategy and target demographic set in its sights and well on point.

With such thought provoking and meaningful lines like “Buy some rounds, pass them around, get on my level. Who fucking spilled beer on my carpet!?” and quite possibly the most romantic lyrics written since the days of Boys II Men like “Shake your ass girl, break it down and drop it low. It’s a photo shoot with me and my camera phone” (courtesy of the track “Jumanji”), you know you are getting a sophisticated and mature collection of 10 deathcore anthems.

If all of this is seeming too good, or bad, to be true and way too farfetched to be believable then the song “Strikeout” is for you. Clocking in at an impressive one minute and six seconds Attila manages to cram all of its trademark qualities into a compact and digestible form. Although almost half of the track’s length is spent using blatantly contrived samples of “partying,” it is the best song for people curious enough to experience this band’s creative genius at work without having to spend actual money on it and sit through the entire twenty seven minute duration. I'm sure the band won’t be offended though, as they would rather you spend your money on malt liquor and your time doing as much illicit drugs as humanly possible anyways.

When all is said and done, and “Rage” comes to an end, all you're really left with is a circular plastic disc enclosed in a plastic square container. That's interesting geometry, but that's pretty much all that is interesting with this package. If only the band could pick one vocal style, as some vocal moments aren't all that bad, and choose one genre to play within they just might be able to release a half decent record. Although I can’t imagine them leveling up on the lyrics anytime soon. For some reason it seems like their brain cells just might be too fried for that. I wonder what gives off that impression...