Atom Seed: Get in Line (1990)
With their vibrant, forceful, propulsive funk-metal sound, the Atom Seed were Englandâs de facto answer to the Red Hot Chili Peppers -- or at least they tried to be ...
Maybe it was the easy prospect of marketing them as such that convinced FM/Revolver to sign the London-based quartet (comprised of singer Paul Cunningham, guitarist Simon James, bassist Chris Dale and drummer Amir), because they sure rose rapidly through the ranks of the cityâs pub scene.
In any case, within a year of the Atom Seedâs formation, their debut full-length Get in Line was already in stores, and plucky barnstormers like âWhat You Say,â âShake that Thingâ and âBitchinâ,â were indeed pure Chili Peppers, leaving little to the imagination thanks to Cunninghamâs percussive barks and Daleâs accomplished slap-bass shenanigans. (*)
On the rare occasions when they werenât blatantly ripping off Flea and co., the Atom Seed recalled others, among the eraâs many funk metal disciples, including the Infectious Grooves (âRebelâ), Saigon Kick (the title track) and Faith No More (âWhat?!â).
This reverential formula is only abandoned for three anomalies: the vaguely psychedelic groover âShot Down,â solid acoustic ballad âBetter Day,â and a righteous alt-metal trip aptly named âCastles in the Sky,â showcasing impressive escalating riffs and licks from James.
But none of it could hold a candle to the real deal R.H.C.P, as they neared the peak of their creative and commercial powers.
Later licensed for American release by London Records, Get in Line unfortunately went absolutely nowhere and the Atom Seed were promptly dropped (**) before too long, leading to their break-up before the summer of 1993.
*Â The talented Dale went on to play with Bruce Dickinsonâs Skunkworks project.
** The demos for a sophomore album entitled Hard Sell Paranoia were allegedly rejected and said album allegedly still lingers, unreleased in somebodyâs vaults.
More Funk Metal: 24-7 Spyzâs Harder than You, Electric Boysâ Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride, Extremeâs III Sides to Every Story, Faith No Moreâs Introduce Yourself, Incubusâ Make Yourself, Janeâs Addictionâs Nothingâs Shocking, Living Colourâs Vivid, Mind Funkâs Mind Funk, Mordredâs In This Life, Primusâ Frizzle Fry, Saigon Kickâs Saigon Kick.
