ATEEZ Keeps It “Real” With New Album “ZERO : FEVER EPILOGUE”

After less than two months, following the release of their third album in their FEVER series, ATEEZ is back. With the final installment in the series, ZERO : FEVER EPILOGUE released on December 10, the eight-member group’s latest album marks the end of a successful era. The album contains ten tracks, including the previously released “Turbulence” and title “The Real (Heung Version).”

Humble and Kind

The music video to the title track “The Real (Heung Version)” was also released alongside the album’s release.

Fans of the group would remember this track from their final performance on the reality show Kingdom. However, this version of “The Real” is almost a complete revision of the original. The song has more traditional elements, with more traditional instruments and the oldest members Hongjoong and Seonghwa wearing modern renditions of a male hanbok. In addition, the song features members singing and rapping in satoori and other Korean dialects.

The song itself is a high-energy and fun track that talks about the importance of being humble and kind to others, as “this is what we call style.” The intense synth and chants in the song make for a track that is easy to find yourself singing along to. “The Real (Heung Version)” is a signature ATEEZ song, with its intense instrumental and catchy lyrics characteristic of their sound. 

The music video calls back to the school aesthetic they first showed in their Kingdom performance. Now, they’ve upped the ante with members on motorcycles, hanboks, school uniforms, suits, and more. The video is jam-packed with details from their Kingdom performance and inside jokes from within the fandom. Arguably, the most notable aspect of the video is the focus on their main rapper, Mingi. Due to mental health reasons, Mingi had taken an eight-month hiatus and missed Kingdom. In the music video, Mingi is the main character, with other members dancing around him and having superpowers like super strength. He even b-boys during the dance break at the end while everyone cheers him on!

The video is fun and energetic, much like the group itself. Every last second is enjoyable, with a blooper reel punctuating the end.

The Treasure of ATEEZ

ZERO : FEVER EPILOGUE opens with the emotional track “Turbulence,” where the desperate vocals of the group are the main focus. The track is followed by the gentle ballad, “Be With You.” The boys showcased their sweet yet gut-wrenching vocals over piano and string instruments. The album takes on a much lighter feel with “The Letter.” The song is highly reminiscent of a lo-fi track, with its fuzzy and percussive instrumental accompanied by an upbeat keyboard. It could be said that the song is dedicated to ATINY, the group’s fandom. The boys sing heartwarmingly about being thankful to the listener for always being by their side. They also promise that they will make them smile so that they’ll never cry.

The following two tracks, “Still Here” and “Better,” are Korean remakes of their Japanese tracks by the same name. “Still Here” has pop elements that build up a catchy chorus about still being “here” even through difficult times. Mingi also features on this song, as he could not record during its initial release with their Japanese album. “Better” follows that same pop influence, with the members singing passionately about continuing to persist even when you fail.

From this point on, the album takes on the more hard-hitting sound ATEEZ is known for. The remaining tracks are all studio versions of songs released during their time on Kingdom, now featuring Mingi. “WAVE (Overture)” is a more intense remake of their beachy title track by the same name. “WONDERLAND (Symphony No.9 “From the Wonderland”)” remakes “Wonderland” with theatrical and pirate influences. It also features aspects of Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World’, IV. Allegro con fuoco.” The next track, “Answer (Ode to Joy) [feat LA POEM],” is a dramatic rendition of their significant title track “Answer.” The remake features the Korean opera group LA POEM and the incorporation of Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.” Check out all of their performances of the songs here!

The album is wrapped up by the ending track “Outro : Over the Horizon.” The track features a narration directly related to the group’s lore for the FEVER series. It also leaves with a hopeful ending, the song incorporating nostalgic instrumentals and a powerful electric guitar. The track loops perfectly back to its start with “Turbulence,” leaving quite the impact for the end of the album and FEVER series.

From Monster Rookie Group to Seasoned Artists

In just three years, ATEEZ has repeatedly proven that they are passionate about what they do and bring hard-hitting performances to match. This comeback is no different. Fans can expect an exciting tour in 2022 now that the FEVER series is over!

Keep up with ATEEZ and their upcoming promotions on Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram!

Did you enjoy our coverage of ATEEZ’s ZERO : FEVER EPILOGUE? Check out our coverage of their fandom’s third anniversary!