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Writer's pictureBrady Moody

Single Review: Atarka - "Barbarian"

Review by Brady Moody



Following on from their debut album ‘Sleeping Giant’, released in 2020, Unearthed Music’s Atarka have had a busy start to 2023, releasing a single followed by a four-track EP titled ‘The Mountain’.


This conceptual release has a narrative “for those who go looking for it”, according to vocalist Jamie Smith.


I’ve included the concept at the end of this review, should you wish to read it. However, we’re going to focus on a single from this EP called Barbarian.


So, grab your thermals, a tent and some rope…we’re climbing The Mountain!

Atarka's "Barbarian" is a blistering track that embodies the spirit of raw, unapologetic metal. From start to finish, this song is a non-stop assault on the senses that will leave listeners headbanging and craving more.


The song begins with a fierce guitar riff that sets the tone for the entire track.

The drums hold this tone with thunderous force, driving the song forward with relentless energy. The vocals are aggressive and powerful, perfectly matching the intensity of the music.

As the song progresses, the guitar work becomes more intricate, with an atmospheric tremolo run, guaranteed to cause your pupils to dilate and your hairs to stand up.

The bridge which follows is particularly impressive, with the heavy riffs and pounding drums creating a wall of sound that is impossible to ignore.


Overall, "Barbarian" is a standout track that showcases Atarka's ability to deliver uncompromising metal that is both heavy and technically proficient.

Fans of the genre will not be disappointed by this impressive offering from one of metal's rising stars.


EP’s concept: Nethermost Blight is the point in our narrative where the EP’s protagonist finds himself at the peak of The titular mountain and face to face with an outer god of malicious intent. An incomprehensible mass of writhing appendages and a multitude of all-seeing eyes take him “beyond the wall of sleep”. TNMB is A Lovecraft-inspired take on the subversion, mental distortion and eventual total psychological annihilation inflicted by a meddling Outer God on the human psyche.





Watch The Barbarian here:



Atarka are:

Adam Bayliss - Bass, Guitars

Phil Sheldon - Drums

Alex Dutton - Guitars

Daniel K.P. McCarthy - Guitars, Vocals

Jamie Smith - Vocals



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