Here are my credentials: I’ve been a fan of ATEEZ for about a year or so, after I watched them on Kingdom, and a kind-of (?) ATINY for a few months. I admit that from what I’ve seen, I prefer their older work to their newer work, but so far that’s only true for their titles, and may not be accurate to their b-sides. I haven’t had the chance to listen in-depth to their new albums yet, so I figured that this was a good opportunity.

Edit: (5-31-24) Guess who’s going to see them on tour??? (see my concert review here)

(Part One)

EP #5: Zero Fever Part 1

Inception, as the start of a new series in the “lore”, has a different vibe than the Treasure series. Though there’s still the great build, the EDM, the chanting and the fight-against-the-system messaging, it feels more contemplative and almost…melancholy? It honestly feels a little like one of TXT’s later, moodier title tracks, especially with the more romantic lyrics than are usual for ATEEZ and the climactic vocalizing. I quite like it.

Thanxx, the other single from this album, takes some inspiration from Latin Pop for its beat, and while I don’t dislike this one, it’s very much not for me, being quite rap heavy, veering a bit too close to an anti-drop for my liking, and having an overly-chanty post-chorus.

From the EP, I enjoyed the more melodic take on EDM mixed with the acoustic guitar in Good Lil Boy, which was my hidden gem, but also the more ballad-inspired closer in the comforting, all-English One Day At A Time.

EP #6: Zero Fever Part 2

Fireworks is, right from the outset, quite heavy on the autotune, to the point where it’s honestly distracting. While I do like the buildup and the chorus is pretty alright, this one just…doesn’t do it for me? I’m not entirely sure why, though the autotune is part of it, but for some reason, no matter how much I want to like it, it’s just not happening. The chanting is catchy, especially in the last chorus, I’ll give it that.

From the EP, though I did like the bubbly synths in Time Of Love, there’s nothing else I could choose as a hidden gem besides Take Me Home. I think that part of the reason I’m so hard on Fireworks is that Take Me Home is quite possibly my favorite song of ATEEZ’ entire discography, and to this day it kills me that it wasn’t a single. Its dark city-pop-meets-jazz is excellent, and the subject of loneliness brings it so much pathos that it made me feel something even before I looked up the words. And that saxophone riff in the outro? Absolute perfection. There’s no beating this one.

EP #7: Zero Fever Part 3

Deja Vu is up next, and has quite a smooth, minimalistic instrumental, which I honestly prefer since it seems that the autotune is less over the top here. Though I didn’t really dislike this one either, I just feel like it doesn’t go nearly as far as it could, just kind of marinating in a weird middle ground between average and something more interesting, like the last chorus, which brought much more of an interesting composition. The quiet rap was actually my main highlight here, so congrats, Hongjoong.

From the EP, I enjoyed the catchy pre-choruses and surprisingly upbeat follow-through in Eternal Sunshine, the melodic sing-talk mixed with synths in Feeling Like I Do, and the more vulnerable delivery and stripped-back instrumentals of Not Too Late.

Album #2: Zero Fever Epilogue

Turbulence returns to the quieter, more contemplative style of Inception, with vulnerable and inspiring lyrics and a gentle acoustic guitar that carries through the track. This song is one that finally gives their vocals time to shine, and I found myself being won over by this one basically right away. I loved the harmonizing and the emotions they carried through their voices, and though it’s a simple track, it’s a very comforting one. I really liked it!

I didn’t have a hidden gem from this album, as it’s mostly revamps, but I did really enjoy the symphony version of Wonderland, as mentioned before.

EP #8: Spin Off; From The Witness

Halazia, though it’s from a “spin-off” single, is actually the song I enjoy most from this section of their work. Though its use of autotune is still a bit too heavy for my liking, I greatly prefer its somewhat understated feeling and gentler anti-drop after its build-up to the shouty choruses of its peers. Also, I appreciate, again, the vulnerability and frustration its lyrics show, as I can relate much more to its point than the emptiness of the other tracks.

Next time, we’re onto Part 3. Tschüss!