Lower Than Atlantis formed in August 2007 in Watford,[1] while the members were attending college.[2] Guitarist Ben Sansom asked guitarist Mike Duce if he wished to form a band with Ben's brother Luke, who would provide vocals.[3] Alongside them was bassist Richard Wilkinson and drummer Matt Britz.[4] In April 2008, the group signed to Small Town Records, with whom they were aiming to release their forthcoming EP through.[5] Following line-up changes,[3] such as the addition of drummer Joshua Pickett, bassist Stephen Minter,[6] and Duce becoming the band's frontman,[7] they began working on what would become their first EP, Bretton.[3]
All of the songs on Bretton were written by Lower Than Atlantis, with lyrics by Duce and Luke Sansom.[6] Duce taught himself how to sing and play guitar at the same time while playing along to the band's Demo 2007 release.[8] Pickett had been playing the drums for eight years, naming Abe Cunningham from Deftones as a main inspiration.[1] However, Matt Britz had written and recorded the drum parts for Bretton.[6] Jeff and Ginge recorded the EP at The Pill Studios in Newport.[6] Matt Tuck produced the entire proceedings.[6] Tom Woodstock mastered the EP at The Roof Studios.[6]
Release and reception
Bretton was released on 18 October 2008 through Small Town Records,[9] before being released through Thirty Days of Night on 19 December 2008.[10] The artwork was done by Liam Flaherty Design.[6] A music video was filmed for "The Juggernaut", it was directed by Daniel Seecharan.[11] It was shot on a low budget.[12] The band spent a lot of 2009 supporting the EP.[1] Partway through the touring cycle for the EP, the band had several line-up changes, eventually leaving them with only vocalist/guitarist Mike Duce and guitarist Ben Sansom.[13]
Big Cheese magazine called the band "pissed off [and] energetic" while they "channel[ed] the dirty chugging riffs of Southern rock".[14] They claimed that "Rock 'n roll-infused post-hardcore just got some new superheroes."[14] Reviewing for Rhythm, Chris Barnes called the EP "a monster of technical music" with "low-slung grooves, odd time and intense riffs."[1] In a retrospective review, Ben Patashnik of Rock Sound described the EP's sound as "youthful, jagged hardcore", bearing "little resemblance" to the band's later material.[8] Concluding with the band's "wit shone through the short, sharp blasts of noise."[8]
Track listing
All songs written by Lower Than Atlantis. All lyrics written by Mike Duce and Luke Sansom.[6]
"March of the LTA" – 0:58
"Frankie Goes to Hemel" – 2:56
"The Juggernaut" – 3:14
"Sleeping in the Bath" – 3:11
"Bretton" – 2:40
"I Hate Comic Sans" – 0:24
"What a Beautiful Day to Impersonate an Officer" – 2:56
