ATEEZ gears up for first full-length album

After pulling off a successful world tour in their first year, ATEEZ is on full steam with their very first full studio album “TREASURE EP.FIN: All to Action” which was released on Oct. 8.

Known for their strong stage presence and powerful dance moves, the full-length album is the latest addition to the group’s short but growing discography, which naturally has plenty of intense dance tracks, accompanied by high-energy choreography.

As the title suggests, the album is the end of a chapter in a way, wrapping up a series of releases from the eight-piece group under the title “Treasure”–namely, “‘Treasure Ep. 1: All to Zero’, continued with ‘Treasure Ep. 2: Zero to One’ and ‘Treasure EP.3: One to All’.

“We have looked back at our journey so far and cherish our treasure as the end approaches and march toward a new beginning with this album. You could say that this record is the final form of the powerfulness of ATEEZ,” Hong-joong, the group’s leader, said during a press showcase in Seoul on Tuesday.

As he hinted, the new album is fronted by yet another high-powered rhythmic dance track “Wonderland.” The video of the single features the eight members fearlessly dancing around a fire alongside a large-scale marching band.

ATEEZ is often heavily associated with powerful live performances, one of the reasons why many fans love the act.

“We’ve been sticking with this concept since the beginning so it all feels quite natural now. We just practice hard, in front of the mirror for instance, to pull off the right dance moves,” Hong-joong said.

Though the boys make it look easy, a great deal of effort goes into their performance. With their practice sessions lasting for around six to seven hours a day, so they can perfect their performance, and make sure everyone is in harmony on stage while singing live.

Consisting of 11 tracks, the album includes “Thank U,” a track with a personal touch which talks about appreciative feelings between the members, as well as “Sunrise,” which Hong-joong took part in the songwriting process.

Having debuted around just a year ago, the rookie group has pulled off the unusual -- going on a sold-out world tour, stopping at a dozen countries including the US, France, Russia and Australia.

Though the group appreciates the warm-reception they’ve enjoyed from international fans, their efforts at home base continue.

“We’ve been working hard at home with our three previous records and going on tours in between. If we work hard and continue what we do best at home, I think we’ll get recognition one day. We want to work hard both at home and abroad,” Hong-joong said.

When asked to describe the experience of making a new album with just one word, Yeosang said, “Touchig,” noting that the group’s effort seems to have come to full fruition.

“TREASURE EP.FIN: All To Action” is out now.

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)