ATHEIST

Everything still is extremely technical, but this time, besides jazz, they also had some slight funk and bossa nova influences. Just listen to "Samba Briza" (Funny Fact: It isn't samba at all. I'm brazilian, I know). Like always in an Atheist record, there are no weaker songs, and everything is from 'superb' to 'transcendental'. The lyrics (intelligent, as always) concern the basic elements of the planet, plus animal life and minerals. And an easily notable change from their previous albums are the vocals. They are still agressive, but no longer death metal growls. There is the addition of the piano on some moments, notably the aforementioned "Samba Briza", a beautiful piece of latin-american (yay!) music. Just like in "Piece Of Time", there are some shouted vocals here and then that scream "Awesome!", like in "Air": "BREEZE!". Very catchy and memorable.

So, while this is their most complex album, it is also the easiest to digest, due to the outside influences, other than jazz and death metal. The highlights, in my opinion, are "Water", "Samba Briza", "Air", "Minerals" and "Elements", but they are all amazing songs. And, although I personally prefer "Unquestionable Presence", mainly because of my metal fanatism, "Elements" is just as good. Must be listened by everyone.

Death Metal = 45% / Jazz = 55%

Rating: 99%

First, what sounds jazzy? The drumming and the bass parts, for the most part. Also, some quick interludes here and then, and, of course, some of the riffs, which are jazz played in a death metal fashion. See the intro for "Mother Man" for an example. The vocals and some other riffs are 100% death metal, though. If you, like me, has nothing against extreme metal, you will probably love this album. If you love weird time signatures, weird rhytms, and overall complex music, you'll love this too.

All the songs are superb, but my favorite is "And The Psychic Saw".

Death Metal = 75% / Jazz = 25%

Rating: 99%

"Piece Of Time" is not an easy album for most people here. It is, after all, death metal with jazz influences, and not the other way around, like "Elements". So, if you can't stand extreme metal, I don't recommend this album to you, although it surely is very complex. My favorite songs are "Piece Of Time", "On They Slay", "I Deny" and "No Truth". There are weird signatures and some jazz-influenced riffs, but this is mostly death metal.

Death Metal = 85% / Jazz = 15%

Rating: 97%

Disc one with the live concert is probably what will excite most people ( at least the fans who already have the albums) and while the set only lasts 35:59 minutes and only features 8 tracks ( all taken from Piece of Time and Unquestionable Presence and none from Elements) it´s a great performance from an energetic band. Vocalist Kelly Shaefer and drummer Steve Flynn are the only original members left in the lineup while bassist Tony Choy ( Cynic, Pestilence, C- 187, Area 305) who played on both Unquestionable Presence and Elements return for another round. Guitarists Sonny Carson and Chris Baker ( both members of Gnostic) are new in the lineup. The setlist is great allthough I miss I Deny and find it a bit strange that Elements is not represented. The reason might be that drummer Steve Flynn didn´t play on Elements but that´s just a wild guess on my part. The performance is pretty raw sounding yet enjoyable and Kelly Shaefer and Steve Flynn comments in the 24 page booklet that there are no overdubs. This is how it actually sounded on that day which they are rightly proud of. The sound quality is not excellent but this is not a bootleg production by any means.

Disc two features 11 tracks personally compiled by Kelly Shaefer and Steve Flynn and they make comments about each of the songs selected for the compilation in the 24 page booklet. Lots of little anekdotes for the fans. Song selections on compilation albums can always be discussed but personally I think they´ve chosen the right songs. This second disc might not be very interesting for an old time fan like myself as I have the three original albums, but for newcommers disc two is a great way of getting acquainted with Atheist.

As the live part of the album is enjoyable leaning towards the excellent and the songs chosen for the compilation is actually very good and gives a decent insight for newcommers into how Atheist sounds I think a 3.5 - 4 star rating is warranted.

The sound quality of the live album is pretty good. It has not been overdubbed or doctored in the studio, I guess. Maybe they should had done it because the sound is a bit thin now and then. It is an OK gig. Someone has even hailed it a legendary gig. The excitement of seing Atheist for the first time in 13 years has clearly enthused people. That's good.

The compilation CD (disc 2) is a run through of what their record label think is their best songs. I have to admit that I have a soft spot for this band. But I am not a fan and I am not that enthusiastic about this band, twenty years after I discovered them for the first time. Their ubertechnical stuff is simply more like a musicians stuff than a casual listener's stuff. Hence their popularity among musicians. But the Piece Of Time songs are still good songs.

2.5 stars for the objective quality or 4.5 stars if you are a Atheist fan. This album is the best present any Atheist fan can get.

3 stars (being slightly kind)

I went to a CANDLEMASS gig back in 1990/91 where ATHEIST was the support act. It is pretty difficult to find two more different bands than these two bands. They were on the same record label and that's why they were on the same bill. Anyway, ATHEIST blew the audience away with their breakneck speed and time shifts. I and most of the audience was standing there with a big question mark in our faces. ATHEIST was well ahead of their time. Perhaps ten to fifteen years ahead of their time. These days, their fanbase is at least ten times bigger than it was when this album was released. I bought it because I liked extreme metal/death metal. ATHEIST played that music and I therefore bought this album by default. Back in 1990, very few death metal albums was released. Maybe around ten albums. ATHEIST and this album just stood out from the scene and nobody knew what to think about it. It was an enigma.

The best track on this album opens the ball. A memorable track with a good hook. The rest of the songs are not in the same league. This album is full of ultra-technical death metal with time-shifts every five seconds, played in a breakneck speed. It is speed and death metal, but not as we knows it. The music is the anti-thesis of melodic. Even death metal is melodic and structured to a certain degree. But not this album. Fusion ? Well, maybe it is that. But I did not know the meaning of the word when I bought it back in 1990. The sound is pretty bad and it let's down this album big time. The chaotic songs which I am still not able to grasp does not do this band any favour either. The bass by the sorely missed Roger Patterson is very good and it dominates this album. The title track, the bass and some good riffs inbetween the chaotic tunes is the best thing about this album. I am not sure if ATHEIST knew what they were doing on this album. Twenty years later, this album is still an enigma to me. Despite of this; I still likes it. The naivity of it all and the freshness. The attitude and the cheek of it all. I have a soft spot for this album and ATHEIST.

3 stars

Atheist is for more than 20 years the pile of tech extreme genre with 3 albums, each one with someting to offer, but the middle of those 3 , Unquestionable presence from 1991 is their best - at least 90% of the reviewers said and argued aswell. Now here is my opinion abiut this band and particular this album. Being awere of brutal music from begging of the '90's when I discovered bands like Death, Bolt Thrower, Carcass, Cynic (more or less brutal), etc I gied a try to this band from USA named Athesist. Didn't know anything about them in that period , it was in 1992. From the first listen I was blown away by them, how speedy they manage to play , how brutal but in same time how smooth and inventive with catchy pieces. I was so fascinating ten because they were in same vein with Death who just released Human, or later on Cynic. Atheist was and still remain not an usual death metal band, the growls are on every piece but in a diffren't way as on every death band from that period, the music is death metal to my ears but very updated with jazz and speed elements, combined is Atheist, an unique and solid band from early' 90's. The music is very well played, very strong , the muscianship is excellent, but is but always, sometimes they repet themself to many times on each piece. Then, 16 years I was very impressed about this album , as I said, now today something is diffrent in my view, more I listen more my view about some bands from my youth changed (in better or worse , depends), this time in worse. Noe this album seems to me a good one, no doubt about it, but less convinceing and enjoyble than was 15 years ago. All the pieces has same level, I can't extract one to be the best, anyway they repete to much the same riffs and vocal arrangemets on every piece. That makes me give only 3 stars. Prefer all the way anything Death released over the years in stead of Atheist, Still a strong album in my view but nothing about a masterpiece here.

The problem with most death metal bands are the vocals, but I actually like Kelly's! They are atypical for most metal. I love the way he sounds and think his vocals go along with the music well. However, the production quality on this album is not the best. While, this gives it a kind of gritty feel, it makes hearing him, and the music, difficult. Besides singing he also lays down some nice rhythm guitar.

Rand Burkey plays some great guitar on this album. The riffs are really indescribable, you have to hear them for yourself. He plays some wicked solo's but they are mainly along the lines of typical metal solo's. Tony Choy puts on quite a performance on bass, (though most of the bass music was written by now deceased Roger Patterson). The drumming is technical and jazzy. It is very fill heavy and just sounds like madness. However, as fans of prog and jazz we know better. It is not random, but actually organized chaos!

Mother Man: This song has a short little guitar intro and bass breakdown before going into the technical riff, and jazzy metal drumming. Kelly has some intense vocals on this song, be warned. From 1:30 to 2:30 is a progression of technical metal riffs, melodic jazzy solos, and shred solos. The main song then picks up, although even this is unique. The riffs change constantly and solos randomly fill the music, a long with musical interludes with bird chirping.

Unquestionable Presence: One of the best intros on the album. While the "sound" of the album is here I think this may be the most straightforward metal song.

Your Lifes Retribution: A small stop and go, back and forth guitar intro then quick bass breakdown start the song before plunging into the fast riff. I LOVE the quick riff at :49, as well as the one at 1:36. The middle of the song is filled with solos, and the ending is intense. Some good bass on this song as well.

Enthralled in Essence: Has a slow, heavy beginning, followed by a quick solo. This is a medium paced song overall. Riffs have a great feel through the song.

An Incarnations Dream: The first minute is slow and melodic, with clean guitar work and solos. Really nice sound, then the intensity hits you like a wall, (well you have 1 second to brace yourself). A slower, heavy song for the first half, the last minute is quite technical and intense.

The Formative years: One of the slower songs on the album, its quite heavy and crushing most of the way through. There are some thrash parts. You can hear some of the best drumming on this song, and Choy plays some nice bass.

Brains: One of the standouts. Sweet intro right out of the gate, followed by some death metal riffs. At 2:00 the best part of the song starts. There is some really technical drumming over the last half.

And the Psychic Saw: My favorite song of the album. An intense thrash intro followed by an amazing guitar riff, soon being played by both. It continues as the bass and drums are added before going into a small, small solo and then the main song. Very thrashy but with several tempo and style changes throughout.

Overall, one hell of an album. However, this is not for everyone. The average progger should avoid this one. As well as fans of "lighter" prog metal. However, this is a must for any metal fan/heavy prog metal fans. While a great prog metal album it can be a bit predictable. Even each song is different and pretty wild, there is a more or less similar pattern followed. Quality is a bit poor. I give "Unquestionable Presence" a rating of 4 stars.

"Elements" is a lot more jazzy then its predecessor's, A LOT more. However, it does retain its metal sound in its guitars, some solos, and Kelly's vocals are the same as the first 2 albums, which I personally enjoy. His vocal style is not the "death growl" and I really can not put my finger on it. It is a snarly yell, and I love the way he sounds. This whole album has technical, odd, guitar riffs. Time signature changes throughout, jazz fusion-esque dueling solos, some great bass work, (heavily jazz inspired of course) and jazzy drumming with some strong Latin influences. As I said earlier I think the drum work on this album is less technical then before, but that is fine because pure technical prowess is not what this album is about.

My problem with a lot of Technical Metal bands is they try to hard I think. They go over the top/to the extreme to display their technicality and mastery of time signatures, etc (Meshuggah comes to mind). It can be very overwhelming even to hard line fans like myself. "Elements" though is truly jazzy, (do not want to over use that word) and while technical it has a great feel to it. Just like in pure jazz, when I listen to this album I can not help but tap my feet, swing my body, all without even noticing. Every song just has a great, catchy feel to it and each song is different, (while still the same style of course). I really do not how Atheist did it!

My favorite songs on the album: Samba Briza: This song is pure Latin Jazz. Not metal in the least, and I love it! Air: For some reason I love the vocals on this song a little more then the rest. So much emotion in some of the screaming. Also, the technicality, groovy riffs, and some great solos! Elements: Great intro, and breathtaking guitar work throughout. The solo at the end is beautiful sounding. However, every song is gold and I can not pick one favorite. Few albums are out there where I like every song, and even fewer of those I LOVE every one. "Elements" is one of them. Also one of the few where every musician on it is PERFECT. They all mold together wonderfully.

I suppose the vocals could be a bit tough, (or if you're not into heavy guitar) but I think even a lot of regular proggers can enjoy this album. Without a doubt: FIVE STARS!

This album, as I just mentioned, is very influenced by death metal. It features death metal riffs, drumming, and vocals. However, "Piece of Time" does show a lot of technicality. The whole album is very stop and go, features many short guitar or bass breakdowns, technical riffs, progressing riffs throughout the song, and technical drumming, (influenced by Jazz it sounds).

Personally, I like Kelly Shaefer's vocals. I think they are distinct and different from most metal bands I have heard. His guitar work is great and technical and he plays some blazing solos. However, on this album they are very straightforward metal/shred solos. I love the way the guitars sound on this album, gives it a different feel from most metal. Roger Patterson plays some great bass, the only problem is you do not hear much of it, (due to just the music or low quality).

Steve Flynn is a great drummer, but is better showcased on their next album. However, he does display some seriously technical, and fast, drumming on "Piece of Time".

My Favorite songs on this album are "On They Slay" and "I Deny". However, some notable ones are "Unholy War" with its unique intro and a great chance to hear some bass and "No Truth" which has a mellow minute and a half long intro before plunged into the madness.

This is a great album, but perfect by no means. The production quality is fairly low. While this does give it a brutal, gritty sound it can be annoying at times. I have to turn the volume up fairly loud to hear this album well, and the guitar quality is still sketchy. Also, not every song is a winner. "Room With a View" and "Why Bother?" just do not do it for me and I usually can not make it through them.

Overall, a great album and I think it is a must for any fan of metal (thrash, death, technical) however this is NOT for the average progger... Also, if you are a casual fan of prog metal or into bands like Opeth, Tool, Dream Theater this is also not for you. Musically, and especially vocally, this is a brutal album and personally I do not think of it as progressive metal, but technical metal. However, if you like/can listen to most metal, including some harder prog bands, this is a great album for.

3 stars (again NOT for lighter prog-metal fans)