Search - Atheist :: Elements

Watchtower eat your heart out

Sam Kennard | australia | 07/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is great. First listen I was expecting it to be more like Unquestionable presence, but the production is way richer. Over the years they have lost a bit of the death metal-ness they had going, there still is a strong thrash element, but more world-music and jazz bits thrown in for variety.
Seems they have matured a bit from the days of 'piece of time' , going less more Sadus and more watchtower/mid-voivod technical thrash. And also theres a theme with the song titles about fire,earth, water etc...and some well received instrumentals. The vocals seem to have improved since the Sadus-like raspyness on Unquestionable Presence. Overall, an excellent album from the Florida group, and going strong after losing their first bass-player in a car accident."

Thin line between good innovation and annoying experiment

Dante | Valinhos, SP BRAZIL | 08/14/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"ATHEIST was a great Death Metal band that plays a creative, technical and extreme music with progressive and jazz influences.

It's first album, Piece of Time, is a Death Metal masterpiece and must be heard by everyone who enjoys extreme and technical music.

In the second album, Unquestionable Presence, these influences I said are strongers and it sounds perfect. It's still a good sound.

But in the album Elements, ATHEIST walks on the thin line between interesting innovation and annoying experimentalism. Some times closer from a side than other.

Someone doesn't know this band and look the cover and read the track list (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) could think it is a New Age album.

It doesn't sound horrible, but doesn't sound great as Piece of Time or Unquestionable Presence. Death Metal radicalists would hate it. People more condescending with experimentalism probably will love it.

"