Last year I covered the first act of ATUM, the ambitious three-part album by The Smashing Pumpkins. In January the second part was released, and although somewhat late I would also like to discuss it. This whole album continues the much softer tone of the first part. ATUM is more of an alternative synth pop album than a rock album, which is odd given it’s supposed to be a rock opera. After thinking some more about part one, I feel I was being slightly too generous with my rating. I wish there were slightly more rock elements across both parts. While it does feel like the sound does feel slightly matured from their original style, it comes across as a little less interesting overall and lacking the complexity of the previous albums.

ATUM Act II contains eleven total songs and is published by distributor Thirty Tigers. The album opens with the song, “Avalanche.” This song takes a while to get started with a lot of ambient tones and production that never really culminates into anything super meaningful for me.

Fortunately, the next track “Empires” is much better. It features a solid riff and hook on the chorus. Writing-wise it is also more interesting than most of the songs. Additionally, it feels as if it actually advances the storyline in some meaningful ways. Like most great Pumpkins songs, the messaging can be open to interpretation but seems to hold a lot of Billy’s thoughts and frustrations around the music industry. It is certainly one of the more emotional tracks here in my opinion.

We then move on to “Neophyte.” This song is very repetitive and bland with a performance from vocalist Billy Corgan that lacks any sort of energy. The song also drones on for far too long, which is a trend I’ve noticed amongst most of the synth-pop songs on this album. However, once more the follow-up track “Moss” recaptured my attention. It features a great drum line and some interesting vocal effects added to Corgan’s performance. The guitars here are very solid as well. Certainly, this is one of the standout tracks here.

Transitioning again into the synth-pop territory is “Night Waves.” This song is relatively innocent and nothing about it is necessarily executed poorly. However, it again felt largely bland and forgettable for me.

In contrast, “Space Age” delivers a much more memorable and fun experience. It’s appropriately named, with synths and production that certainly give the feeling of looking up at the stars or traveling through space. The whole song is exceedingly peaceful and one of my favorites of the synth-pop tracks that make up this part. It’s very different from the traditional Pumpkins sound but sometimes that’s fine.

“Every Morning” is another synth-pop cut that overstays its welcome. It’s six minutes of extremely barebones synths and simplistic instrumentals that make for a largely unexciting listen. It’s the kind of song you would hear playing in an elevator or in the background of a strip mall outlet. “To the Grays” is another cuttable track for me. Corgan says a lot of words in this song, but apart from the first verse they come across as hollow, meaningless, and somewhat scatterbrained overall.

It was not until the ninth song “Beguiled” that I was again reminded that this is supposed to be a rock opera. The song has some strong power chords and bass work which dominates the majority of instrumentals.  It delivers that classic Pumpkins sound and helps to once again bring the major vision back into focus.

The final two songs “The Culling” and “Springtimes” trend back towards the softer side of things. “Springtimes” is another peaceful track, but feels weak for a closing song. I would have much preferred “The Culling” in its place as the track features a nice blend of rock and synth-pop. The booming drums and choir vocals in the second half help to create an epic sound that builds upon itself. I like the direction of this song overall, and I’m hoping it can define the sound for the finale of ATUM.

Ultimately, ATUM Act II definitely feels like a transitional piece. It’s overall another somewhat bland and forgettable entry into the Smashing Pumpkins discography. It’s quite disappointing, given it’s the conclusion to a storyline developed over 20 years as a band. I don’t feel this album is horrible but nothing on here really holds a candle to the old material. Upon each listen, I was always left wishing for something more within the lyrical writing and sound that just wasn’t there.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Atum Act II

$19.99

5.5

Score

5.5/10

Pros

• "Empires", "Moss", and "Beguiled"

Cons

• More Synth-Pop Than Rock
• Bland and Homogenous Sound
• Lacks Direction in Places