Alex Varkatzas has always been a pretty nervous dude. Since he was young, Atreyu's lead singer has suffered from severe anxiety and depression. In the past, he's dealt with his condition alternately by drinking himself into oblivion and taking prescription anti-anxiety medication including Lexapro and Klonopin. These days, however, Varkatzas is attacking his demons with a clear mind.
While writing and recording Atreyu's new album, Lead Sails Paper Anchor, the singer stopped taking his meds and let his growing frustration and anxiety guide his creativity. As a result, the album features some of Atreyu's most powerful, impassioned vocal performances to date, but lacking a medicinal crutch certainly had its drawbacks.
"I lose my mind a couple times a day now," he told MTVnews.com's Metal File. "But I try to deal with my emotions instead of hiding behind them, and that's something that's new for me. I'm learning to cope with reality."
One way he copes is by vigorously working out and training in muay Thai martial arts, but Varkatzas' greatest coping mechanism has always been songwriting, and now that's more true than ever. And, with the new album he's not only addressing past issues and present internal dilemmas, he's bringing up current problems and global issues as well.
"I'm dealing with grown-up stuff now lyrically because that's what's going on in my life," he told Metal File. "I'm 25 now. I bought a condo, so I'm dealing with the responsibilities of being a homeowner. I just had my grandpa pass away when I was on tour, and it was horrible that he was dying and I couldn't go home. There was nothing I could do about it, and I had to learn to accept that."
Varkatzas has also matured as a singer. Sure, he still screams like a beast from below, but thanks to legendary vocal coach Ron Anderson, he's also singing up a storm, providing vocals that range from a pained wail ("Lead Sails [And a Paper Anchor]") to a Motley Crue-inspired snarl ("Blow").
"I wanted to do something different and to live up to my potential, so I worked really hard to be able to handle the singing parts. I'm still not a natural singer, but when I set my mind to something, I refuse to take no for an answer."
Along with Varkatzas' varied vocal diversity, Atreyu have diversified their music as well. "Falling Down" is a shuffling romp that sounds like a metallic Green Day with horns; "Becoming the Bull" is embellished with industrial effects; and "Slow Burn" features pedal-steel guitar.
"This album isn't just about guitars, bass, drums and vocals," drummer Brandon Saller said. "There are strings, opera vocals, hand claps, mandolins, Turkish Saz — anything we could think of that seemed cool at the time."
For the complete interview with Atreyu, and more metal news than you'll hear on NPR, check out this week's Metal File.
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