One of the most acclaimed Alternative Rock bands to emerge from the ‘90s era, The Smashing Pumpkins are no stranger to doing things a bit differently. Formed by Lead Singer/Primary Songwriter/Guitarist Billy Corgan, The Smashing Pumpkins were vastly unique to other acts the early ‘90s; possessing a sound mixing sounds of Alternative Rock, Gothic Rock, Industrial Rock, Electronic Rock among others. Standing out, they also pushed the envelope with the release of the double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness in 1995, as well as subsequent concept efforts, such as 2000’s Machina/The Machines of God.
Not afraid of a challenge, in more recent times, The Smashing Pumpkins take on perhaps their most ambitious project to date with Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts. Considered a sequel album to both Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Machina/The Machines of God, the news of the planned material first emerged prior to the release of 2020’s Cyr. That in mind, Atum is a concept record, this time following the story of Zero and Glass; characters featured on prior albums. Progressing, the character in this new story is now older, and known as Shiny.
Laying these ideas out for you, looking at Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts is a massive undertaking, so logically The Smashing Pumpkins plotted to put it out in sections. Done so as 3 separate albums with 11 songs per album, each were released precisely 11 weeks after one another – Atum: Act One came out on November 15, 2022, Atum: Act Two on January 31, 2023, and lastly, Atum: Act Three on May 5, 2023. Adding it all together, that is 33 songs lasting nearly 2 and a half hours. A whole lot to consume in one sitting, for those interested you can stream it now. However, if you want to reconnect with reality and appreciate the music in a more tangible fashion, you can purchase the entirety of Atum as either a 3 CD set, a 4LP set, or within a vinyl box set which also includes five 7” records with 10 additional, exclusive unreleased songs for this set only.
Giving you further insight to Atum, it is considered the band’s twelfth studio record, is solely produced by Corgan, is the third album since original Drummer Jimmy Chamberlin returned in 2015, before Guitarist James Iha returned in 2018, and marks the last material to feature long-time Guitarist Jeff Schroeder who left the band in October of 2023. So, now the biggest, most important question is… what does Atum sound like?
A cumbersome question to answer, it is important to remember that this is a Rock Opera and each act is going to have peaks and valleys. It is also vital to mention that The Smashing Pumpkins have experimented with more Synthpop sounds in more recent years; most particularly with Cyr. This considered, Atum may not be what you expect from the band, but has that not been the case throughout their history? Corgan is a complex individual, so his music may not fit into a box of what everyone thinks it should, and with that, nor does Atum.
Considering this, it is best to sit back, keep an open mind, and experience Atum as if you were in a theater production or a feature film. Breaking it down, Act One has tracks that are by and large Synthrock (“Where Rain Must Fall,” “Hooray!”), with others that are hybrids with more guitars (“Hooligan,” “Beyond the Vale”).
This is while Act Two has more of the same with some interesting synthesizer ladened tracks such as “Night Waves” and “Every Morning.” That being stated, this portion of the collection’s standouts are really the guitar heavy “Empires,” as well as “Beguiled.”
Which leaves lastly with Act Three, arguably the most engaging of them all. Perhaps because at this point you are already 22 songs in, the plot has thickened, therefore the feel is more intense and engaging. Layered with heavy guitars and backing vocals, some standouts here include “That Which Animates the Spirit,” “In Lieu of Failure,” “Harmageddon,” plus the mellower “The Canary Trainer” along with “Cenotaph.” Furthermore, “Spellbinding” is a heavier OMD-vibed Synthpop delight while “Fireflies” offers you a mesmerizing Sci-fi like atmosphere.
All in all, Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts is a truly impressive undertaking. Requiring a substantial amount of effort and thought, Corgan has accomplished something grand. Select fans may find the new synthesized elements a bit of a off-putting, but in the overall picture of Atum, they truly add texture. Opening your mind to this, if you pay attention, the guitar driven tracks are in there… and they are all quite rocking too.
In the end, if you have the attention span for Atum, you will grow to appreciate it. If you do not, Act Three, the story’s climax, may be the place you will want to turn. No matter how you choose to dissect it, as a whole entity, Atum: A Rock Opera in Three Acts deserves attention and praise. That is why Cryptic Rock gives it 4 out of 5 stars.
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