Atheist's output is generally minimal, but it always makes a massive impact. Atheist released three vital records to the genre in the '90s – Piece Of Time in 1990, Unquestionable Presence in 1991, and Elements in 1993 – before breaking up in 1994. Atheist reunited in 2006, released Jupiter in 2010, and has been touring and plotting new music ever since.
So when are we getting a new Atheist record? In a new interview with Altars Of Metal, Atheist mastermind Kelly Shaefer said the band will be working on it this year.
"We have a really busy year coming up. In a couple of weeks, we head to South America with our friends in Cryptopsy. And so we're gonna do that. And then we have a North American run in April that's yet to be announced. We plan on hitting Japan and New Zealand this year, in June, and then Europe in September and then another U.S. tour in November. So somewhere in between, we're gonna be writing [new material]."
He continued: "We've got about six new songs written. And it's the first new Atheist music in a lot of years — 15, to be exact, which blows my fucking mind, that Jupiter is 15 years old already. Jupiter is a teenager. It feels like it was just a minute ago."
Atheist in 2025 is founding members Shaefer and drummer Steve Flynn alongside guitarists Alex Haddad (Arkaik) and Jerry Witunsky (who is part of Shaefer's other project Till The Dirt), and bassist Yoav Ruiz-Feingold (Till The Dirt).
On why there's been such a delay between records, Shaefer offered: "We've been having a lot of contractual problems for the last seven years, and that's why we haven't made any new music, is because the business of music has held us from doing that.
"So anybody out there wondering why we haven't had a new album in a while, it's because of the business. And we're working really, really hard to get that sorted out. But while that's happening, we're writing music and having a blast. And so I can't say enough about the guys in my band now; I just love them so much. And they have such attention to detail that I can't wait to take it around the world this year."
