Baptize is the eighth studio album by American metalcore band Atreyu. It was released on June 4, 2021 through Spinefarm Records and was produced by John Feldmann. It is the first album not to feature vocalist and founding member Alex Varkatzas who left the band in September 2020. The album received polarized reviews from music critics, with praise going towards the ambition, but criticism primarily going to lack of focus and consistency.
Background and promotion
In late August 2020, it was rumored that vocalist Alex Varkatzas had left the band. After some uncertainty following these reports, the band officially announced that they were parting ways with Varkatzas a month later on September 30. On October 16, the band officially released the new single "Save Us" along with its music video.
On March 4, 2021, the band released two singles, "Warrior" featuring Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and "Underrated" along with two corresponding music videos. At the same time, the band announced the album itself, the album cover, the track list, and release date. On May 4, one month before the album release, the band released the fourth single "Catastrophe". A week later, they also unveiled the music video for the song.
Critical reception
The album received mixed to negative reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 51 out of 100 based on 4 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". AllMusic gave the album a positive review but saying, "If the slickness of its predecessor was a turn-off for longtime fans, then Baptize is sure to disappoint, as it plays out like a sizzle reel for modern rock production. The playing is strong throughout, but Feldmann's fondness for boa constrictor-like compression renders the album as a whole strangely inert." Dead Press! rated the album positively, stating: "Whilst Baptize is somewhat of a gamble for the Californians, Atreyu show a willingness to evolve their sound yet again. Granted, the record as a whole could have had a better impact if presented as a shorter collection of songs, but there are still standout moments to enjoy." Distorted Sound scored the album 5 out of 10 and said: "ATREYU never try to hide the band they want to be. This isn't a metalcore record that flirts with rock. In fact, if anything, it's the opposite. Credit where it's due: they haven't gone half hearted on this new musical stance. However, this watered down, semi credible iteration of the Californians becomes tiresome quickly. Baptize offers an occasional chorus hook or slick solo – and very little else." Owen Morawitz of Exclaim! rated the album 4 out of 10 and said: "Baptize has all the lasting impact of a post-energy drink buzz, sounding about as unique and memorable as the rumbling static from a festival side stage you passed over in favour of the headliner. It's clear Atreyu crave rebirth in the crucible of lifeless arena rock, but with a selection of tracks this dull and inoffensive, they'll probably get their wish. That may sound cocky, but I don't care."