Edge of Time Magazine
Atomic Opera
"Alpha &
Oranges"
Self-released
This is not the new Atomic Opera release, it's a collectionof old songs recorded before "For Madmen Only" CD. It's a greatpleasure to hear this recent stuff by Frank Hart & Company. Right fromthe start Atomic Opera strike with the beautiful "RainParade," probably one of the best songs they've ever written. Thenext track, "For MadmenOnly" comes somewhat strange over, but is cool, too. The followinghighlights are the fast "Feverdream #1" with killer riffingand "Meaningless Word"with nice vocal harmonies. "Spinning"for example, contains a guitar part that reminds me of early King's X albums;Ty Tabor used to play such tunes 10 years ago ... Listening to this recorda wave of nostalgia embraces the listener little by little. Simply incredible.I hope their new output will be as good as this one, produced by nobodyelse but Sam Taylor.
- Sigitas Velyvis
www.mindcage.com/edge
The Phantom Tollbooth
"Alpha & Oranges "
Artist: Atomic Opera
Label: Indie - Fan club release available at the followingURL
URL: http://www.dennislange.com/ao.html
Length: 47:30 time / 10 tracks Houston, Texas is abig place. Big enough to boast three melodic groove metal bands with somestriking similarities. King's X and the Galactic Cowboys may be better known,but the triumvirate of Houston's hard rock talent is incomplete withoutconsidering their lesser known colleagues, Atomic Opera. All three bandsshare a similar sound, despite some differences ranging from obvious tosubtle. They have all worked with super-producer Sam Taylor Wilde Silas)at one point or another (he produced this album), and all three can nowbe found at Metal Blade Records. At different points in their musical careersall have operated within a Christian worldview framework, although somehave been more vocal about their faith over time than others.
If King's X and the
Galactic Cowboys represent the PearlJam and Nirvana's of the Houston hard-rock
sound, Atomic Opera is the Soundgardenof the bunch. They have a more consistent
metal edge than their peers,never quite reached the same zenith of popularity,
and have fewer hits toshow for it. Building on those melodic groove
metal vibes that madethe other two bands successful, Atomic Opera offered
their own spin on thestyle. Although for a virtually unknown band, selling
20,000 copies of adebut record is nothing to sneeze at. Alpha &
Oranges is an entertainingprequel collection of out-takes from before
their 1994 debut album, ForMadmen Only. The official Atomic Opera
web site explains: "The tensongs that are chosen to be on this CD
tell a story. It is a musical storyof a band discovering itself. These
ten songs show the progression of aband from its first weeks together...up
to the point where it records itsfirst national CD." And it's a worthy
story with songs that are nearlyas well produced and energetically played
as any you'll hear in their subsequentalbums. Eschewing the groovy soul
of King's X and the quirkiness of theGalactic Cowboys, Atomic Opera stick
to a more straight-forward melodicmetal style. Most of the songs here
adhere closely to expected territoryand serve as excellent foreshadowing
of what was to come. "
Atomic Opera is primarily Frank Hart's brain-child. A talentedsongwriter, guitar player and vocalist who bears only a passing resemblanceto Chris Cornell at his most gut-wrenching wail. His original artwork, "PicassoChrist," also graces the cover. No slouch cerebrally, Hart writes songsfor the hard rocking, thinking-man. Many songs deal with the differencebetween the way the world is disturbingly perceived today from the realitythat is found only through true Christ- like spirituality. Although we trulylive our lives in a confusing, distrustful, broken place, the answer towhat really ails us is simple, indeed. The feelings of being in a big, Machiavellianmasquerade that Hart accurately captures in "RainParade" are universal:
There's something haunting about a clown
With a smile that is painted on
And my mask is an empty stare
And the rain is falling everywhere
When the laughter gets the best of me
And I feel like a violent fool
In my dream where it all came true
Where my heart has broken every rule
Time goes and days pass by and
All my memory fades
In the rain parade.
There is a been-there-and-heard-that quality to much ofthis work, but these were Atomic Opera's formative years when their influenceswere more prominent. Frank Hart himself is likely to admit that thisCD does not represent Atomic Opera's best work. To paraphrase a line fromMonty Python's Holy Grail, "They got better." Yet, the overallquality of production, songwork, and musicianship indicate that Atomic Opera'snuclear reaction was ready to reach critical mass.
Steven S. Baldwin
7/13/99
www.tollbooth.org
(Consumer Review on Amazon.com)
Reviewer: philsack from Hamilton, OH January 24, 2000
What are you waiting for?
If you don't have the hard-to-get 'For Madmen Only' andwant to get a feel for what it sounds like, buy 'Alpha & Oranges'. Greatgrooves and enough crunch to stir your brain. Not to mention the reflectivelyrics. Stop waiting and BUY IT!
(Consumer Review on Amazon.com)
Reviewer: mahoneyj@gateway.net from Southeastern Louisiana May 16, 1999
One of the top 10 greatest rock records ever made.
If you haven't heard of Atomic Opera, you must be one ofthose who only likes the bands that are in the spotlight. Live a little.Even though AO hasn't hit it huge yet, which they will soon enough whenthe word gets out, they have made some of the greatest music in I have everheard in my 24 years of life. From their impossible to find debut "ForMadmen Only", they have consistently put out rocking tunes with killerharmonies. Think heavier King's X and Galactic Cowboys. From the prayerful"All These Things"and "Magic Castle",to the gritty "For MadmenOnly", this disc has a little of everything. All have that uplifting,inspiring, non-offensive content the rock industry needs. We are floodedwith too much angst and bitterness today. Atomic Opera bring a refreshingsound, both musically and lyrically, to a music industry feeding us withanger and rage.
"Consider this: The transcendant object of existence-totransport beyond time and space and experience the infinite on a first namebasis; and Oh!...to find an extraordinary intermediary to accomplish thiscalling!...for madmen only?...hum!?" Taken from the liner notes inAtomic Opera's debut CD "For Madmen Only".