Tag: ATEEZ

Kickstarting this week with the comebacks and debuts is ATEEZ. The male group, known for their powerful performances and amazing skills on stage, have been growing in popularity. Top performances on Immortal Song and high expectations for their upcoming appearance on Kingdom have been driving this growth in the last few months of 2020. This combined with their Inception comeback earlier in the year definitely makes ATEEZ become one of the groups to look out for this year. Today, the group returns with part two of their Zero: Fever series, which features their latest title track, Fireworks (I’m The One).

As mentioned a moment ago, there is high expectations for ATEEZ with this song. And I feel that ATEEZ really hits the mark with this song. Fireworks (I’m The One) really knows how to build intensity. But let’s start from the beginning. The opening verse didn’t really do much for me. The hip-hop infused trap instrumentation and their heavily autotuned vocals felt sluggish and dry. To me, it felt like a hurdle that I had to get over to get the more filling and promising sections. The song takes a turn when Mingi (His hiatus continues. But from what I understood from the comeback announcement, he popped into to participate in recording for the album) starts rapping and it starts building that intensity I mentioned before. The intensity flows into the first part of the chorus with the song opting for powerful yet a relatively slow tempo. It feels like it was weighted down. What is really great about this first part is that it continues to build up, leading to the second half of the chorus. Here, we are blasted with energy when the EDM comes into play and the intensity peaks. The vocal work and rapping in the song is quite fine, but I found some of the vocals in the verses too heavily autotuned for my liking. I personally didn’t think the song needed that degree of autotune in the verses, especially in the song’s slower moments. The repetition of the ‘Bulnoriya‘ during the more intense half of the chorus really caught on for me, making that section even more memorable. Aside from the opening verse, I really enjoyed the journey that the Fireworks took me on in terms of energy and intensity. Definitely a fulfilling song.

I will be completely honest, I have no idea what is going on in the music video. Obviously, as the mini-albums form part of a series, the music video for Fireworks connect somehow with Inception‘s video. I just cannot pinpoint how, or if I am making a leaping assumption. But that figure in red at the very end looks very intriguing (unsure who that is meant to represent. I did think Mingi, as he is not part of the music video). Aside from the storyline, I really enjoyed the dystopian setting of the video caused by a massive sandstorm. Whatever story is moulded into the video will probably be a good one, given its premise. The emphasis on the colour brown throughout this video actually comes off quite edgy and industrial. I am also glad they included fireworks in this music video, given that the song is titled Fireworks. They definitely captialised on its presence by using it during the final peak of the song, which helps relay a more explosive atmosphere.

As usual, the choreography for this comeback is top notch. It looks aggressive for the most part and a definitely tiring workout during the song’s more intense moments. While I can only judge the performance section of this review on what I see in the music video, I think their facial expressions will play a very big part in captivating the audience during their stage performances. Their facial expressions in the music video definitely play their part in making the video more alluring.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

As per the Friday schedule, there is an album review coming your way. And the album being reviewed today is ATEEZ’s ZERO: FEVER Part 1, which was released a under a month ago. The album features the fan-chosen title track, INCEPTION, which the group has promoted for a while now. The alternative title track is THANXX and that was confirmed to be the follow-up promotional track that the group will promote with next week. Unfortuately, I have chosen to not wait around for the THANXX music video and this will be put on the Missed Music Video Review that I have been promising for a while now (don’t worry, it is coming!). But until then, you can check out my thoughts on THANXX and the other side tracks from their ZERO: FEVER Part 1 mini-album below.

2. FEVER – Picking up from the instrumental fade out of the first track (which simply a young voice reading a diary entry and setting the context for this Zero series) is FEVER. I find the FEVER incorporation into the preceding track to be a nice connection between the two. That aside, FEVER pairs the group’s usual dance sound with a sentimental tone. I liked this pairing as it feels well-balanced and doesn’t overwhelm with one or the other. There is a smooth texture to the song, which I feel wonderfully compliments the group and the song’s tone. I personally enjoyed the piano at the bridge and the chorus was very catchy to listen to. Great vocals and rapping from the members, as well. Definitely an ear-catching track that I am sure many will enjoy. (9/10)

3. THANXX – THANXX was the alternative title track that was not picked up as a title track, a decision made by ATINYs. However, we will be seeing the music video release and follow up promotions featuring THANXX in the near future. To me, THANXX was probably the better pick as a title track (out of the two). It had momentum and a powerful energy that ATEEZ would have flourished with on stage. I do admit that the song doesn’t offer anything new, sounding pretty much like the rest of their title tracks that we have heard from the group so far. The exception is the foreign flair that the guitar brings to the song at the start. There were some parts of the song where the members do amp up their sound, such as the bridge, which I find to be an amazing extension of their sound. (9/10)

4. TO THE BEAT– If the group wanted to opt for a different sound for the title track yet still be in the vicinity of their past releases, TO THE BEAT would have been a perfect pick. While I am usually not a fan of autotuned voices, the high pitch ‘To The Beat’ we get as part of the instrumentation adds an addictive sound. The rest of the instrumentation is texturally loaded with unexplored ground in KPOP. And given ATEEZ’s amazing choreography history, I am sure they would have had a spectacular dance break at the very end. The rappers do shine the most in this song but I also enjoyed the chorus where all the members would shout out the lyrics and the low-tone whispering, with the latter helping create a suspenseful and attention-grabbing vibe to the song. (10/10)

5. INCEPTION (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for INCEPTION. (7/10)

6. Good Lil Boy – Similar comments made regarding To The Beat could also be directed to Good Lil Boy. It also had a different vibe to it, allowing ATEEZ to offer something that aligns to their previous works but not give us the exact same flair. And I honestly think this would have been another great contender for title track status. What I really like about Good Lil Boy is how the tempo changes between the chorus and verses/bridge. The contrast is just so good. And the rush of energy really lifts up the urban hip-hop instrumental to a new level. I particularly liked the acoustic guitar in the pre-chorus, paired with light vocals and acting as a ‘calm before the storm’ scenario. Once again, vocals are great and the rapping had such good momentum to drive the song forward. (10/10)

7. One Day At A Time – One Day At A Time is a pleasant surprise. Not only is it the softest and lightest track on the album, it is also all in English. The R&B track definitely contrasts with the more loaded songs above it, but its softness is much appreciated, providing us with some relief. There is some heaviness to the song, coming in the from the thumping deepness. Other than that, everything else is soothing. Vocals, melodies and atmosphere. My only issue with the song is that the rapping felt a little too much for this song. It just didn’t feel fitting for this song. But other than that, a nice ender to the album. (8.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.9/10

Without a doubt, ATEEZ is one of the groups to look out for during 2020. After a successful year of promotions and non-stop releases, the group rounded out their Treasure series earlier this year with Answer. So what was next for the group? Well, they were meant to embark on their Map The Treasure world tour. But that has been postponed due to the ongoing global health pandemic. And since then, we haven’t heard too much from the group, aside from virtual concerts and some special stages. But that all changed yesterday, after they returned with their fifth mini-album Zero: Fever Part 1. On this mini-album were two tracks (INCEPTION and THANXX) that fans got to vote to become the title track. In the end, INCEPTION was announced as the title track for this comeback.

The entire Treasure series has really built the group a powerful and explosive reputation. That is what I remember and think of the most when I hear of ATEEZ. INCEPTION, to me, felt like it stepped back from this reputation. It felt underwhelming and relatively safe. While it did have a powerful and explosive profile, it neither rivaled or exceeded their past releases, which is disappointing. Take that instrumental break we get after the first chorus. While its placement dared to be a bit different, it felt very weak thanks to the use of unexciting hollow drum synths. That section would have been a great catalyst to amp up the rest of the song and increase the intensity by many magnitudes. But it just fizzled and didn’t really help boost the song. And hence the rest of the instrumental stayed relatively linear and didn’t get exciting as it could have been. The song did have some positive aspects, however. These mainly revolved the members. Its quite a vocally-centric song. The melodies have a pleasant ring to them and I find them to be potentially catchy (I need more listens to confirm this). The rappers did a really good job of increasing intensity in the song. And both aspects come together to form a powerful bridge, which was my pick of best moment. But at large, INCEPTION has all the elements to be their next big track, but it unfortunately underwhelms.

I am confident to say that there is a plot line in this music video, given that the fans got to see story line previews prior to selecting the title track. From what I got out of the lyrics and visuals, it looked liked the members are trying to get back into a dream they once had of their lover. But each time they do so, the setting gets more worse, as if foreshadowing how dangerous this lover is. The music video starts off in a brightly lit classroom (kind of an innocent dream). But later in the video, we see the classroom supposedly ‘lit’ on fire. It gotten so bad that Hongjoong entered a dream of nothing (and from the ending, it looks like he is stuck in that dream). I wonder how the next music video will link up. Everything looked quite good, though I must question whether Seonghwa’s abs reveal was necessary for this particular music video.

Performance-wise, INCEPTION delivered, as well. You can tell that they were extra powerful with their performance given the energy and effort you could see behind each of their moves. I liked how they split into two groups for the second chorus. I also surprisingly enjoyed the dance break they had during the instrumental sequence that I previously described weak. When I listen to the song by itself, it definitely comes off weak. But when you see the moves they put together for that part, it actually helped the sequence come off intense.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

When you thought the Treasure series came to an end, ATEEZ throws another comeback right back at you. Today, the group returned with Answer and the album, Treasure Epilogue: Action to Answer. This is the group’s sixth installment (and possibly final – don’t quote me on that) of the Treasure series. Five of the installments were released in Korea and a sixth was released in Japan last year as well. Their previous comeback, Wonderland, occurred in November of 2019.

Another amazing song from ATEEZ. This time, however, the group pushes you further into the barrel, effectively trapping you in a deeper sound than their already quite intensive Wonderland comeback that they left us with. The song isn’t intense in the moment, in my opinion. Instead, it has that impression once you finish the song, reflecting upon the powerful energy that was exuded from the song. Answer starts off with more traditional instruments, before the hip-hop infused synths kick in. What it is interesting, is that the song manages to keep the two different sound going concurrently. I really liked the flute that was incorporated in the pre-chorus. I also liked the vocals in the song, especially how they keep on layering it on, contributing to the intensity that I have mentioned. The raps were quite powerful, but they sat more in the back-seat this time around. When I listen to the song, I cannot point out any flaws. And that, along with every other praise, earns Answer a perfect rating.

I assume that because it is one series, the music videos have to be interlinked somehow. It is a trend that is ongoing in Korea and I think it applies to ATEEZ’s Treasure series as well. This video is clearly connected to HALA HALA/Say My Name music video, as it features the members in their black hats and outfits. The other alter egos this time are the ATEEZ members in their Answer era. The start and end of the music video, showcasing the white and black masked figures seem to allude to something else. But as I am aware/from my memory, these characters never appeared in the other music videos (though they seem familiar somehow), which may suggest more is coming our way.

The choreography was definitely quite good. The hip thrusts did seem a little wild. But the rest of the choreography was definitely as intense as the song. And this is all expected from ATEEZ after the reputation they have built themselves throughout 2019.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10

The next comeback one this very intensive comeback week is by ATEEZ. 2019 is already a jam-packed year for the group, with the group returning with Say My Name, HALA HALA, Wave and Illusion just within the first 10 months of the year. And as there are less than 3 months to go, there is time for another comeback. Today, the group returned with Wonderland, which is also the title track off their very first studio album, Treasure EP.Fin: All To Action. ATEEZ has also been exceptionally busy since their last comeback performing at every KCON and has also embarked on an Australian tour as well.

Wave took a break from all the intensity that I think many fans have associated with ATEEZ since their debut to fit the more brighter summer season when Wave‘s release occurred. Wonderland returns to that intensity level from their past. Though, I am pretty sure they exceeded it. The song has a very grand and epic start, that I find fitting for this style and the group. It is as if they took the Pirate King instrumental and amped it in a way that made it very different from the original track. There is a lot of energy in this track as well and that is thanks to their suspense building. Those beeps and pause just before the pre-chorus was very impactful and do the job. The vocal work was pretty good. But once again, the rappers of ATEEZ shine very brightly in this song with their rough and strong delivery. I do find the song to be less catchy as I had hoped. But like yesterday’s review, the song might need a few listens.

To compliment the epic and grand nature of the song, the video was equally as epic and grand. It was very dark and I like the vibe this gave off. You can tell by the many scenes and the overall quality of the video that their company went all out to ensure that this will be the best video out of their releases thus far. The camera shots managed to make everything feel so much more intense and made the video feel a lot more fierce. I really liked how they also extended flag-waving into the border of the box. That looked cool and unique. As this is the final section of their Treasure series, I wonder if the videos are linked together in some way. That isn’t something to work out now, but it would be interesting as the videos felt very different from one another.

That epic and grand vibe also infiltrate the stage performance. I think ATEEZ have proven themselves to be an upcoming performance group. This routine and their past ones have also showcased their talents in the performance department. I liked how their entire body shakes in this video. I also like their arm movements throughout the choreography, which kind of reminded me of tutting.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

Two weeks ago, ATEEZ made their comeback with two music videos. The first was for WAVE, which I reviewed on the day of release. The second music video is for ILLUSION, which I said I would review at a later date. Fast forward two weeks, we find ourselves looking a little closer at ATEEZ’s ILLUSION. In other related news, ATEEZ won their first weekly music chart with WAVE on MCountdown last week.

To me, ILLUSION sounds like the song that you would expect if we were to put all ATEEZ’s title tracks onto a spectrum. The song isn’t as upbeat and bright like how WAVE turned out, while it isn’t as intense as Say My Name (from earlier this year). However, there was a level of energy that makes it quite suitable to follow off WAVE and a level of fierceness in their vocal and rapping delivery that brings it in line with their past tracks. It isn’t a track that stands out within the first listen. There isn’t anything ‘new’ offered in this track that adds a layer of uniqueness to the group (as I had already established).  So, it took me a good few listens to get into the track. I personally find the rappers to stand out the most in this track, with it feeling like a dominant component. Even the rappers filtered onto the vocal sections, which I thought gave off a decent effect. There some good hooks in the track but it could have been better if they were more profound to make the song feel more blastable.

Based on the ending of ILLUSION’s music video, it might be the prequel to the fun that existed in the WAVE music video. The location they end up in the final sections of the song is those which we find them in during WAVE. Using this mentality, the group would be in dream-land for this video, which makes sense given the different backgrounds, flying pirate ship, floating objects and the purple island they end up exploring. But it is another fun-filled video to enjoy. The only thing that confuses me is the ‘Open Your Eyes‘ whisper we get at the end. It doesn’t seem to connect to WAVE, so my guess it is hinting towards something larger.

What I think the performance for ILLUSION could have benefited from are freestyle moments. Moments that are more like on stage improvisations. If these were embedded in these routine, the performance could have been more lively and fun, fitting in with the atmosphere of the song. But what we got is already quite energetic and upbeat, so it is good enough.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

And I am back! Thank you for putting up with my disappearance. Without any more delays, let’s jump right back into the review grind! I thought I start with more recent releases and ‘work my way’ backwards. The first artist up is ATEEZ, who returned yesterday with WAVE and ILLUSION. As I will be trying to catching up on many reviews as possible, I have decided to review WAVE first and return to ILLUSION another day. We last saw ATEEZ through their Say My Name and HALA HALA promotions earlier this year in January.

WAVE features that tropical sound that is heavily overused by industry due to its perfect fit for the Summer season. And while that could be a good cue to start rolling eyes, the song does feature a number of great elements that really throws out that belief of being ‘another’ tropical house track. The first has to be the inclusion of ATEEZ’s intense style that we have seen from day dot for the group. While this isn’t as heavy or serious, I find the song having a good balance between their serious nature and the lightheartedness of the bright season. The second has to be the guitar, which I find really refreshing. It adds to the lightness of the track and really drives the song melodically, which isn’t something I found happening that much in their previous tracks. The vocals and rapping is the third element that makes me enjoy the song. The vocals add to the melody-driven side of the song, while the rapping adds extra texture to the song, which I find to be equally as enjoyable. Overall, WAVE is a nice track. Sure, it turns towards something typical but the group manages to make it one of their own.

When you think of the title WAVE, the first thing you will think of is the beach. And well, we get fairly close to a beach for this music video. While I think a small section of the video is set by a beach, the main ‘wave scenes’ we observe are along the coastline. And I think the coastline is at a place that has featured heavily in past music videos. On top of that, the video showcases the guys having fun at a local supermarket and at a skate park. Not exactly an eventful video when you watch it but definitely quite fitting for the song’s atmosphere and the season they are in.

If their past performances had intensity, then the accompanying choreography for WAVE has personality and character. All smiles throughout the performance, which is a little foreign for ATEEZ in my books. But I like how fun they make the dance, especially with those facial expressions and smiles.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

Last month, ATEEZ returned with their first comeback since their debut, Say My Name. As part of the teasing process for their comeback and second mini-album (album review coming later this weekend), the group had released a Performance Video for the track HALA HALA, which lasted 1:29 minutes. Now, almost a month later, the group has released a full music video (or another performance video) for entire HALA HALA track that was also featured alongside Say My Name on the Treasure Part 2: Zero to One mini-album.

I liked how the song first started off soft. Knowing ATEEZ and the tracks they have done so far, this softer start really creates a tense atmosphere. It gradually builds up, peaking off during the pre-chorus vocal part. Vocals here were superb and this showcased more of the group on that side of things. The chorus has one of those fake drops, which I think was an interesting choice and definitely gives the song some aesthetics. The rapping in the second verse and bridge was perfectly rough for the song. And I liked how they changed the final chorus up to really give the song that peak ending. I think the song was a really good track to follow up with. The hip-hop influence was strong and I felt like this further extends their potential. It isn’t your typical song, so I understand how this may not be for everyone. But for someone who is looking for a new group to follow, this song just solidifies the need to pay attention to ATEEZ.

I will be completely honest. The black outfits, along with the mask and wide brim hats really give me the creeps. It is actually quite mysterious. The same outfit appeared in the Say My Name video but I am still a little confused on why they don the outfit in the earlier video. They do take it off towards the end, showing a smear of blood on the corner of one of the member’s mouths, so I guess the idea of vampires has to be thrown into the possible theory mix. This video just leaves me with more questions. Apart from that, I thought the performance video was well put together.

I don’t know about you but I wanted more stomping in the performance. The song was perfect for just that. But everything else we got was equally as good. I really liked that slow fist slash that appeared during the first pre-chorus. I thought that was rather cool to watch. The chorus itself looked dynamic and the entire performance does a good job of showcasing their skills in dancing.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

ATEEZ made their debut towards the end of 2018 with two title tracks – Pirate King and Treasure. Both tracks and their mini-album, TREASURE EP.1: All to Zero, has gained a lot of attention from what I can see. And with that, the group is continuing their momentum, just months after wrapping up their debut promotions, by returning with their first comeback, Say My Name and the mini-album, TREASURE EP.2: Zero To One.

The first that popped into my head was the familiarity with some of the melodies within the song (i..e during the very start of the song and the pre-chorus). I just can’t pinpoint the name of the songs that it reminds me of. I am not too troubled by this as this does bring back a sense of nostalgia. I liked the instrumental to the track, with a strong presence of hip-hop influences apparent in the song. I really enjoyed the guitar in the verses and the intensity that the pre-chorus also brings to the song, connecting more subdued verses and the dramatic chorus together in an effortless manner. Vocals were really good in the song but once again, the rappers are the ones that manage to bring the punch to the song. The ‘Say My Name‘ repetition gave the song an addictive nature, partly due to the rough texture we get from the rapper who sang that part, which leaves a strong and lasting impression. Overall, another excellent track from ATEEZ.

Based on what I can see, the sets for this music video looks insanely expensive. I don’t know why I think this but the sets do remind me of BTS’s sets. The music video features a very mysterious plotline, which I don’t get whatsoever. It just left me confused and the lyrics didn’t help at all. Besides the plotline, there were choreography shots which I thought, with the help of editing, looked really cool. The very shots at the end that snapped between their members dancing in their more casual outfits and the members dancing with the black outfits/hats that they wore in their teaser images, were a clear example of this.

The choreography for this comeback is freaking amazing. There is one move that I thought looked so cool, that it screams attitude and is the one scene that replays in my mind. I am talking about the move at 1:36 of the music video. The rest of the choreography was full of intensity and energy, matching it extremely well to the song.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Performance – 8.7/10