Piece of Time

1. Piece of Time
2. Unholy War
3. Room with a View
4. On They Slay
5. Beyond
6. I Deny
7. Why Bother?
8. Life
9. No Truth

Line-Up

Kelly Shaefer - Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar

Roger Patterson - Bass

Rand Burkey - Lead Guitar

Steve Flynn - Drums

Hailing from Florida at about the peak of the death metal movement there, Atheist combine aggressive guitar riffs, stop on a dime drumming, and manic jazz stylings to give an album which, if nothing else, will certainly send your adrenaline levels soaring. The opening track sets the pace, with hyperkenetic guitar work, matched almost note for note by drummer Steve Flynn, one of the more original death metal drummers to come upon the scene. Throughout the album there's never a dull moment, although for metal purists, the almost cartoony guitar leads may begin to annoy after a while. As for those who are into technical progressive death along the lines of Cynic, Meshuggah, you won't be disappointed.
9 out of 10

Unquestionable Presence

1. Mother Man
2. Unquestionable Presence
3. Your Life's Retribution
4. Enthralled in Essence
5. An Incarnation's Dream
6. The Formative Years
7. Brains
8. And the Psychic Saw

Line-Up

Kelly Shaefer - Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar

Rand Burkey - Lead Guitar

Tony Choy - Bass

Steve Flynn - Drums

Things are both tighter and looser on Unquestionable Presence. More of a fusion album than death metal, production is better (courtesy of Scott Burns...), with the music going in 6,000 directions at once. The bass playing is more pronounced (Tony Choy was loaned from Cynic after the death of Roger Patterson in a car accident) and together with Drummer Steve Flynn, forms a rhythm structure which works well, but is just all over the place, playing probably whatever came to mind in the studio. The guitar sound is crystal clear, and the musicianship is excellent. As with the previous release, a short album (both are around 32 minutes in length) but there is more than enough here to keep you busy. Just try to follow along with the intro of the title track! Again, purists may be turned off by the jazzy feel, but Unquestionable Presence is in my opinion, one of the finest progressive metal albums recorded.
10 out of 10

Elements

1. Green
2. Water
3. Samba Briza
4. Air
5. Displacement
6. Animal
7. Mineral
8. Fire
9. Fractal Point
10. Earth
11. See You Again
12. Elements

Line-Up

Kelly Shaefer - Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar

Rand Burkey - Lead Guitar

Tony Choy - Bass

Frank Emmi - Lead Guitar

Marcell Dissantos - Drums

All Drums played by Josh Greenbaum

Elements brings more of a return to song structure. At first listen, I was very dismayed to discover that Steve Flynn had departed the band, but over time, began to appreciate the incredible tightness of the band on this album. Basically 8 songs with four interludes (one a salsa track!), Elements is rhythmically complex, again due to the tightness of session drummer Josh Greenbaum. Tony Choy, who left both Cynic and Pestilence to join full time, is heard clearly through excellent production. Although not as challenging as their earlier material, Elements is a good album which is light years more mature and accessible. Sadly, this was their swan song, as the group disbanded shortly after the release of the album.
8 out of 10