The Smashing Pumpkins – Atum (A Rock Opera In Three Acts) [4 LP]

Description

Nearly three decades after Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness became a generation-defining double album, Billy Corgan returned with his most ambitious project yet. Written and produced by Corgan over four years, ATUM (pronounced Autumn) continues the story of Zero, later known as Glass and Shiny, as he wrestles with exile and legacy. The album has elements of alternative rock, progressive rock, synth pop and synth rock, with Corgan describing it as more guitar-driven than 2020’s Cyr and noting the sound goes “into a million different directions.” This indie exclusive four-LP pressing features three screen-printed inserts inspired by each act, housed in a wide spine book-style gatefold jacket that presents the complete 33-song cycle in premium packaging.

The album spans an enormous sonic palette across its three acts. Act One opens with the instrumental title track before moving through songs like “Butterfly Suite,” “The Good In Goodbye,” and “Embracer.” Act Two brings heavier moments with “Avalanche” and “Empires” alongside the lead single “Beguiled,” while tracks like “Neophyte” showcase Corgan’s gift for melody. Act Three concludes the opera with songs ranging from the ethereal to the aggressive, featuring moments that recall everything from the band’s 1990s peak to bold new territory. The band has created a postpunk blend of progressive rock, grunge, and psychedelia that incorporated the brooding atmospherics of goth rock, and ATUM pushes these boundaries further. Throughout, Jimmy Chamberlin’s drumming provides the backbone, while guitarists deliver both crushing riffs and delicate textures.

Released in three installments between November 2022 and May 2023, the album arrived alongside Corgan’s “Thirty-Three with William Patrick Corgan” podcast, where he debuted tracks and discussed the creative process. This four-LP indie exclusive edition includes three screen-printed inserts, each representing one act of the rock opera, housed in a wide spine book-style gatefold that does justice to the scope of the project. The Smashing Pumpkins have sold over 30 million albums worldwide and collected two Grammy Awards, two MTV VMAs, and an American Music Award. ATUM represents Corgan’s refusal to rest on past achievements, instead delivering an uncompromising work that demands attention and rewards deep listening.

• Format: 4 Black Vinyl LPs
• Standout tracks: “Beguiled,” “Empires,” “Beyond The Vale”
• Pressing details: Indie Exclusive, Wide spine book-style gatefold jacket, 3 screen-printed inserts (one for each act)
• Genre/style: Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock, Rock Opera, Synth Rock
• UPC: 793888105676

This pressing captures the complete vision of a rock opera that spans over two hours, offering both longtime followers and new listeners an epic journey through one of alternative rock’s most distinctive voices.

* The Spotify track list may not exactly represent the tracks and audio of this LP edition.

Track List:

Side A: Act I

1. Atum
2. Butterfly Suite
3. The Good In Goodbye
4. Embracer
5. With Ado I Do
6. Hooligan

Side B:

1. Steps In Time
2. Where Rain Must Fall
3. Beyond The Vale
4. Hooray!
5. The Gold Mask

Side C: Act II

1. Avalanche
2. Empires
3. Neophyte
4. Moss
5. Night Waves
6. Space Age

Side D:

1. Every Morning
2. To The Grays
3. Beguiled
4. The Culling
5. Springtimes

Side E: Act III

1. Sojourner
2. That Which Animates The Spirit
3. The Canary Trainer

Side F:

1. Pacer
2. In Lieu Of Failure
3. Cenotaph
4. Harmageddon

Side G:

1. Fireflies
2. Intergalactic
3. Spellbinding
4. Of Wings

Side H: Audio Story

1. Act 1 Of Atum