Ateriavia is a five-piece post-hardcore act from Chicago. Regarding the Midwest: Sleeping is the debut E.P. from the band, put out by Lujo Records. According to the band's bio the loss of their lead vocalist mid-tour in 2004 caused the band to explore other avenues. These other avenues and recreations are what is heard on Regarding the Midwest: Sleeping.
"We're Not Dutch, But We Wear These Wooden Shoes Like We're From Montana", the opening track, and instrumental, begins with a spacey guitar riff over the ticking of a metronome and builds slowly before the listener is greeted with the shouts of Matt Forkenbrock and a barrage of distorted guitars in "This Sierra Classic Is Of A Prestigious Fleet." It is pretty much full speed ahead with chaotic drums, minimal bass, and a heavy dose of shouting, reminiscent of Relationship of Command from At the Drive-In. "Oh. You Must Have Mistaken John Elway For Someone Who Can't Throw A Vortex The Length Of Two Football Fields" slows things down a bit with picking guitar parts and fairly strong dynamics, but towards the end of the track their influences seem to outweigh their own sound, and it all sounds too familiar. "If I'm Correct, There Should Be A Song Around Here Somewhere, Oh Yeah, Here It Is!" teeters between chaotic and structured with the vocals really taking a front seat and the guitars at one moment, brash and disorderly, change to clean, pretty, and picking the next.
Regarding The Midwest: Sleeping flows well, but at times can sound like one long song, with no pauses between tracks. The vocals can get tiresome but for the most part do a good job to keep the listeners attentive. There are areas where their influences seem to take precedence over their own sound, but this is a young band with a very bright future.
2.5/4
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