Emerging from the scorched desert wasteland in 2014, the Phoenix based death metal quintet, Atoll, has been aggressively serving up their unique style for nearly the last decade. Brilliantly blending groove based slamming brutal death with more traditional death metal elements, and even a sprinkle of ‘core, funk, and thrash. Atoll has remained a staple in the metal fest scene, and you may have caught them live playing with the likes of Skinless, Gorgasm, Ingested, and Aborted.
April 2014 birthed this bulbous abomination that has grown into the mighty Atoll when Mr. Chris Nick and Mr. Neil Nalley conspired to ditch the melody of projects past in lieu of percussive, not frills, chugging brutality. The pair went on to recruit local legend drum extraordinaire, Andy Luffey, who in turn recruited prior band mate Cameron Broomfield to round out the rhythm section. The band immediately shot up in the local AZ scene and very quickly began to expand their live performances throughout the southwest.
2016 marked the release of their debut album and straight up slammer, The Gathering Swarm. Produced by the late Griffin “The Father” Kolinski (Knights Of The Abyss) the album was quickly picked up by Amputated Vein subsidiary, Ghastly Music, and was the only record to feature the Devourment style vocals of Nick Keiselburg.
The initial success of their debut album caught the eye of Gorehouse Productions who would release the 2017 sophomore album, Fallout Frenzy. This album was the first record to feature the now long standing vocalist, Wade Taylor, who offered significant dynamic range incorporating highs, mids, and some of the most nasty gutterals you’ll ever hear. Lyrically Fallout Frenzy expanded further on the origins of the band name, embracing themes of the atom bomb tests of Bikini Atoll in the 1950’s, and the subsequent radioactive fallout and mutations that occurred after the bombings. This second album marks the departure of original guitarist Neil Nalley.
The critically acclaimed masterpiece, Zoopocalypse is released in 2019 through Gorehouse Productions. Bringing new guitar wizard, Spencer Ferguson into the fold this album is in your face aggression from front to back. A departure from the rudimentary slams of their debut and the (very) slight melodeath influence of their sophomore album, Zoo implements more technicality, more tremolo and scaling, mathier leads, and a generally more advanced death metal sound that would represent the direction of the band moving forward. The mix/master was completed by Miguel Tereso of Demigod Recordings (Analepsy, Organectomy).
During the global limbo of lockdown Atoll was able to strike a deal with the legendary Unique Leader Records, and in 2022 release the Prepuce EP. The EP offered four new songs, as well as a re-recording of the title track from their debut album, and a MACABRE cover. Again sent out to Demigod this mini release serves as a taster of things to come as Atoll has completed the production of two upcoming full length albums, scheduled to release through Unique Leader 2023 and 2024. This two part release will be the most technically ambitious to date. Keep your eyes peeled on the tour front, and ears open because they are onto something special when this new new drops.
Atoll is:
Cameron Broomfield - bass
Spencer Ferguson - guitar
Andy Luffey - drums
Chris Nick - guitar
Wade Taylor - vocals
