Atheist (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Atheist


Img_capt =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Sarasota, Florida, United States
Genre = Technical death metalcite web|url=http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=1259 |title=THE METAL OBSERVER - Review - ATHEIST - Unquestionable Presence |accessdate=2006-08-26 |author=Gabriel Gose |publisher=The Metal Observer]
Progressive metalcite web|url=http://wm01.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll | title=All Music Guide - Biography - Atheist|accessdate=2007-11-06 |author=Mike DaRonco, Ed Rivadavia |Publisher=All Music Guide]
Jazz fusion
Years_active = 1984–1992,
1993–1994,
2006–present
Label = Relapse
Associated_acts = Neurotica, Gnostic, Cynic, Pestilence
URL = [http://www.officialatheist.com www.officialatheist.com]
Current_members = Kelly Shaefer Tony Choy Steve Flynn Sonny Carson Chris Baker
Past_members = Rand Burkey Roger Patterson Frank Emmi Darren McFarland Marcel DeSantos Kyle Sokol Josh Greenbaum Lee Harrison Mark Sczawtsberg Steve Freid

Atheist are a technical death metal band from Florida, founded in 1984, whose music combined brutal riffs with subtle latin music arrangements and elements of jazz. Their second album, "Unquestionable Presence", released in 1991, has been regarded by some critics as one of the most influential technical death metal albums of all time.cite web|url=http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=1259 |title=THE METAL OBSERVER - Review - ATHEIST - Unquestionable Presence |accessdate=2006-08-26 |author=Gabriel Gose |publisher=The Metal Observer]

History

The band was founded in 1984 in Florida, USA, firstly under the name Oblivioncite web |url=http://shop.relapse.com/artist/artist.aspx?ArtistID=10143|title=Atheist --- Official Relapse Records Band Page|accessdate=2007-06-06] and later R.A.V.A.G.E. (which stands for "Raging Atheists Vowing A Gory End"). They recorded their debut album, "Piece of Time", in 1988, which was released in Europe in 1989, but not in the United States until 1990. In 1991, bassist Roger Patterson perished in a car accident and Atheist recruited Tony Choy to record their second album, the now classic "Unquestionable Presence". Atheist disbanded for the first time in 1992, reuniting in 1993 and recording their last album "Elements", fulfilling their contractual requirements, before disbanding for the second time.

Seven years after their second break up, Kelly Shaefer decided that it was about time for the world to hear again of Atheist so the three albums were re-released with different bonus tracks and were completely remastered.

Shaefer played with Neurotica until 2002, whereas Tony Choy played in a number of other bands, including Pestilence and Cynic. In 2001, Kelly Shaefer tried to regroup the band with all the original members with the addition of the acclaimed Kyle Sokol from the Tampa Bay area on bass guitar, replacing Tony Choy due to Choy's other band commitments according to a metal magazine interview. The band reunion at this time never came to fruition due to Neurotica going on OzzFest.
Relapse Records re-issued the band's three albums in late 2005, as well as a vinyl box set containing the three albums plus the R.A.V.A.G.E. demo "On They Slay". Former drummer Steve Flynn has recently re-emerged in a new band called Gnostic.

In January, 2006, Atheist announced they were regrouping to perform live during the summer and fall of that year. The line-up was Shaefer, Burkey, Choy and Flynn. Shaefer only provided vocals due to long battles with tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome [cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=46783 |title=ATHEIST Regroup, Announce Exclusive ON FUCK YOU LIVE TV Festival Appearances |accessdate=2006-01-13 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net] . Gnostic guitarist Sonny Carson handled all of Shaefer's guitar parts. Recently Chris Baker of Gnostic has been replacing Burkey because of legal troubles.

On July 12th, 2008, Shaefer issued the following update: " [I'm] heading to Atlanta next Friday to jam with ATHEIST drummer and my best friend Mr. Steve Flynn, this will mark the first time we have written together since 1991's 'Unquestionable Presence'. So I am curious how it will sound. I know it will be sick, there is a formula that me and Flynn have that automatically sounds like ATHEIST...so it will be fun to hear what it will sound like. And who knows? If it it goes well...?? We will see what happens." [cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=100804 |title=ATHEIST Members Collaborating On First New Material Since 1991 |accessdate=2008-07-12 |publisher=Blabbermouth.net]

On July 26, 2008, Kelly Shaefer announced through the Atheist myspace page the recording of a new studio album, which will be their first in 15 years. They also will go on a tour in Europe and the USA in 2009 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the release of their album Piece of Time. A live DVD will also be released from the tour. [ [http://www.metalstorm.ee/events/news_comments.php?news_id=6933 Atheist - Writing New Material: News @ metalstorm.ee] ]

Discography

tudio albums

*"Piece of Time" (1989 in Europe; 1990 in the United States)
*"Unquestionable Presence" (1991)
*"Elements" (1993)
*"TBA" (2009)

Demos

As R.A.V.A.G.E.
* "Rotting in Hell" (1985)
* "On They Slay" (1987)
* "Hell Hath No Mercy" (1987)

As Atheist
* "Beyond" (1988)

Band members

Current members

*Kelly Shaefer – vocals, guitar
*Rand Burkey – guitar
*Steve Flynn – drums
*Tony Choy – bass (ex-Cynic, ex-Pestilence)

Former members

*Sonny Carson – guitar (Gnostic)
*Chris Baker – guitar (Gnostic, filling in for Burkey)
*Steve Flynn – drums (Gnostic)
*Roger Patterson – bass
*Frank Emmi – guitar
*Mickey Hayes – drums
*Josh Greenbaum – drums
*Marcel Dissantos – drums
*Darren McFarland – bass
*Kyle Sokol – bass
*Shannon Lorelei – bass

References

External links

* [http://www.officialatheist.com/ Atheist official website]
*MySpace|kellysatheistwebsite|Atheist