Atomic Opera is an American hard rock band from Houston, Texas. Their style blends progressive rock, art rock, metal, and King's X.

Often compared with King's X or the Galactic Cowboys, both of whom were managed and produced by Taylor, Atomic Opera forged their own path with poetic lyrics, varied instruments, and strong Christian influences. Unlike some of their contemporaries, the band did little to hide its faith in its lyrics, but in some ways avoided the stereotypes of Christian rock, as most songs focused on challenging the norms of Christianity and on the relationship between God and man. The band was also vocal about their dislike of the Christian music industry.

Since that time, the band have endured a lot of setbacks (such as a flooded recording studio) and pursued various side projects (such as raising families, session work, multimedia projects, Hart's role as worship leader and pastor at a Houston area church, and managing Hart's label Feverdream Records). After adding Trip Wamsley to the lineup in 2004, and parting ways with Metal Blade, the band were working on a new album called The Mystery of Hope, but there has been no news on this effort for several years. The band did have a reunion concert with the original lineup in late 2014 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of For Madmen Only, in addition to re-releasing a remaster of the album with bonus tracks (For Madmen Only 20 Years Later).

Marshall and Velasco formed a band called The Phlegmatics and released Alumnus (2006), Billy the Starfighter Pilot Vs. the Phlegmatics (2006), and Life Is Better With a Soundtrack (2013). Hart released the solo albums Human Liturgy (2006), Living Creatures Project (2010), and Fantastical Amazingly Jesus Christmas (2016). Hart also published the memoir Joyride: A Beginning in Every End.

Band members

  • Frank Hart - vocals, electric guitar, cello, bass
  • Kemper Crabb - vocals, mandolin, recorder, dulcimer, harmonica (on Penguin Dust and Gospel Cola)
  • Ryan Birsinger - bass, Chapman Stick, vocals (on Gospel Cola)
  • Trip Wamsley - bass (joined after release of Gospel Cola)
  • John Simmons - drums, vocals (on Gospel Cola)
  • Mark Poindexter - drums, vocals (on For Madmen Only, Alpha and Oranges, and Penguin Dust)
  • Jonas Velasco - bass, vocals (on For Madmen Only and Alpha and Oranges)
  • Jonathan Marshall - electric guitar, vocals (on For Madmen Only and Alpha and Oranges)
  • Len Sonnier - bass, vocals (on Alpha and Oranges)

Discography

  • For Madmen Only (1994)
  • Penguin Dust (1997)
  • Alpha and Oranges (1999)
  • Gospel Cola (2000))
  • The Mystery of Hope (pending)

References

Further reading

  • <!-- Feature Story -->
  • feverdreamrecords.com - Hart's record label
  • frankhart.com
  • johnnydrums.com - Simmons' web site
  • Crabb's web site