Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Atheist - Piece of Time (1990)

Continuing my death metal rediscovery review journey, I've come to the remaining band of the tech-death trio, a band in the same level of grand technicality as the later Death and the early Cynic. Let's leap back in time to Atheist's Piece of Time, probably THE first tech-death album, recorded two years before the other two 1990 albums.

I remember checking out a few songs from this band a few years ago but dismissed it because I wasn't into the more thrashy-sounding tech-death at that time. This has happened before, all those countless times I've tried to grasp a band's magic that was beyond my reach of comfort. Now that I'm rediscovering tech-death when I can surely handle it, I knew I can't turn back, though I would still avoid the more brutal bands like Suffocation and Cannibal Corpse. Atheist have made quite the unique difference!

The title opener starts ominous before blasting into godly thrash chaos, showing all the album's got to offer including random turns through awesome guitars, along with grand bass by Roger Patterson (who died in a crash while touring with the band, RIP). "Unholy War" is very much a hint at what to expect from death metal in the 90s, including fast chaos and the shrieking growls of Kelly Shaefer. "Room With a View" is a great favorite of mine. There are lyrics of political corruption that was once uncommon in death metal but would be used by bands of the genre more frequently.

Also standing out is "On They Slay", with a fitting title because of the Slayer-like tendencies. "Beyond" is quite killer, but Shaefer's unique growls end up sounding a bit weak in his attempt for a technical-sounding mix of Megadeth and Obituary. More of the dazzling guitar technicality comes in "I Deny".

Another highlight "Why Bother?" is a great headbanger, with a nice amount of vocals hissing through with scientific vocabulary. There's a little more of the cheesy death metal gore in the ironically titled "Life" which brings the lyrics a small step down in enjoyment, but the music is still miles beyond conventionality. Finally, "No Truth" is the best representation of the band's sound, summarizing all they've had throughout the album.

Piece of Time is so great, with barely anything going wrong. It is very well the tech-death catalyst, though the albums Death would make after this release would be the more common "go-to" location for reference. Bands like Arsis and Martyr would make technical material that wouldn't be possible without this album. Highly recommended!

Favorites: "Piece of Time", "Room With a View", "On They Slay", "Why Bother?", "No Truth"