The Smashing Pumpkins have always been one of my favorite rock bands that rose to prominence in the 90s. It’s no surprise the group is hugely successful with stellar instrumentation, unique vocal performances, and excellent songwriting.

ATUM- Act I is the eleventh full-length album from the band and is published by Thirty Tigers. This album is the first installment of a planned three-part series set to conclude in 2023. Dubbed a “rock opera”, each part will contain eleven songs. The project is also stated to be a continuation of the ongoing storyline present in the band’s legendary album Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness as well as the record Machina/ The Machines Of God.

Both works are some of my personal favorite rock records of all time. Needless to say, I was very much looking forward to this release and how it would continue the legacy of its predecessors.  Upon first listen, I was initially underwhelmed by this record but after some time I feel this is another solid entry in the band’s discography. Act I is certainly an entry point to something grander but still provides many solid tracks that advance the storyline in a way that feels appropriate.

We begin with the title track itself, a simple instrumental piece that set the tone for the first section of the opera. ATUM thus far presents a much softer sound for the band and this reflects the evolution of our central character, Shiny. Frontman, Billy Corgan stated in an interview with NME that the record is told from the perspective of an older character. Thus, both the sound and lyrics mirror this idea of a mature and wizened elder reflecting on his past. In contrast, the two previous albums featured a more aggressive and often hopelessly somber sound.

“Butterfly Suite” is a great example of this more positive tone and features a wonderful upbeat groove with only slightly melancholy lyrics that focus around holding on to love. Following this is “The Good in Goodbye” which features some great guitar work from James Iha and Jeff Schroeder. I also love the layering of the instrumentals here that complement Corgan’s vocal performance.

The next song “Embracer” is one of the more mellow songs filled with synths and keys. It’s more of a pop-rock song but I still found myself enjoying it quite a bit. It flows nicely into the follow-up songs “With Ado I Do” and “Hooligan” which have a more electronic sound. Considering the story takes place in the future, I find that these elements mix well into the band’s sound and are usually not overused. Instead, they augment the major instrumentals.

I particularly enjoy how they often accompany great guitar riffs, which have always provided the backbone of Smashing Pumpkins songs. Nowhere is this better executed than in the song “Steps of Time.” The main riff is punchy, with electronic synths that only enhance the major notes and complement the lyrics.

However, there are a few places where I found the electronic elements to be detrimental. “Where Rain must Fall” is a weaker track for me as there are virtually no live instrumentals. This is made worse by a rather irritating vocal performance from Corgan. Next is “Beyond the Vale”, which again features some decent guitar sections and a more cohesive fusion of genres.

Sadly, this tone is again abandoned in the following song “Hooray!” which is an oddly childish song in every aspect. Again there is a disturbing lack of instruments and the overly bubbly lyrics are quite odd to hear coming from Corgan. It’s probably one of the band’s worst songs for me.

Fortunately, the final song “The Gold Mask” provides a decent enough closer. Overall though I found the second half of the album somewhat of a miss in terms of composition and structure. It strays a little far from the roots of the band. Though I understand the intent is to symbolize evolution, there comes a point where it compromises the narrative.

Certain sections feel so different from the previous two albums that it no longer feels like the same story anymore. I still enjoyed many aspects of ATUM- Act I but I do wonder if the ambitious scale of the project may turn into its biggest weakness.

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ATUM- Act I

19.98

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• Solid Writing
• Great guitar sections

Cons

• Second half is weak
• Electronic elements can be hit or miss