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ATHEIST
1990 - Piece Of Time.
1991 - Unquestionable Presence.
more ATHEIST.
way more Helter Skelter.

May 1, 1990 - 2025: 35 years of: Piece Of Time.

The leviathan of progressive-death.

From Sarasota Florida, an unorthodox unit now breaks the forth-wall. No Satan, no dismemberment, all off-set rhythms ...this is the debut from the divine ATHEIST.

The fat grooves of "Piece Of Time" sets the pace to overdrive. Bass, drums and sick vocals, challenges the traditions, as also displayed on the adrenaline of "Unholy War" and "On They Slay". Pure ravage.

Midpaced and menacing, a widow into masterclass, as we enter the "Room With A View", while the angry stamina of "I Deny" and morbid tales of "No Truth" is another monument from both sides of the spectrum of extremities. Sick gymnastics

From bankrupt indie Mean Machine Records, to bankrupt indie Active Records, to salvation through Metal Blade Records ...the scene was finally properly exposed to ATHEIST. Round Two's top-shelf schooling shall be set with 1991's tour-de-force Unquestionable Presence CD.

ATHEIST's undeniable presence is the ultimate incarnation of progression in extreme-metal ...Fathers of the to-be wave of hyper-technical-death bands of the new millennium. Either you're faithful or not, there's always room for atheists.

RIP Roger Patterson (1968-1991)

*
Piece Of Time = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJxpDILnKiQ&list=OLAK5uy_k2R5sCVezjOsJjLisB4Ns9sp5akT8_dqk
Interview in 1987
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g0UhYbiHVk
Rehearsal in 1990
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiJSTwxDtt4
Live in San Pedro in 1991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXpXDvOdVzQ
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh6RPry3X-c

August 30, 1991 - 2021: 30 years of: Unquestionable Presence.

Death-jazz-funk ...W-T-F !?!?

Once in a blue-moon, we get an out-of-the-box band that it simply cannot be put into words. Let's go 360°: take some of the best thrash backbone riffing, a tight deathmetal production, a strong jazz-vibe with a funk-flair, all of this performed by virtuoso metal-hippies. Hybrid and hyperactive, this is the real thing. A progressive aggression in an aggressive-progressive sonic individual thought pattern: FAITH NO MORE meets DEATH.

Frenetic time-signatures and free-style flair, a full blown 4:33sec assault on the senses as "Mother Man" kicks in motion. Lethal leads, fretless bass and screechy vocals ...and this just the opening track. Your fate, your track, "Your Life's Retribution" stings and attacks in a merciful way.

More jazz is infused on the adventurous title-track. Drummer Steve Flynn is WW3 behind the kit. Mean muscle-metal is displayed on the fuming "Enthralled In Essence" and the high-paced cadence of "And The Psychic Saw" breaks down in half in an off-set ingenious funk mid-part.

Following the recent tragic passing of bassist Roger Patterson, the studio-duties were handled by all-star player Tony Choy from CYNIC and PESTILENCE and on tour, by the masterful hands of Darren McFarland. Witnessing them in the live environment in early 92, I can say that every note is clearly performed and dangerously delivered.

! Extra geekness alert !
Notice that guitarist Rand Burkey play his guitar with a reversed string-gauge set: top to bottom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZCftZOhhMM

Sadly the scene was not there yet, nobody was ready for this. Remember that the 1991-92 era was filled with corpse-grinders and Mephistopheles-worshipers ...no room for urban-deathmetal. Pushing the nail further, a misstep in promotion as having them touring with CANNIBAL CORPSE and GORGUTS.

After the groundbreaking assault of 1990's Piece Of Time CD, they now leap-frog eons ahead into an alt-metal dimension hatröss.

*
Unquestionable Presence = full CD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NolrcYGVJ_A&list=PLArAJlC1y559RiRAl-SWGNGEEoBRHxN6n
=Jamming with Tony Choy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTOo6DXvhq4
Steve Flynn recording at Morrisound
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmLkjOi_E_Q
Interview in Montreal in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZnmNFpSnwo
Live in 1992
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCATGLgtnrc
some guy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqkR5CdwpqY
some guys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gIJH0j5nAA

more ATHEIST:

#Death-Metal 1988-92
&

#Death-Metal US 1991