Unquestionable Presence
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Unquestionable Presence
| type = studio
| artist = Atheist
| cover = Unquestionablepresence.jpg
| alt =
| released = August 30, 1991
| recorded = 1991
| venue =
| studio = Morrisound, Tampa, Florida
| genre = {{flatlist|
|}}
| length = 32:25
| label = Active Records
| producer = Scott Burns
| prev_title = Piece of Time
| prev_year = 1990
| next_title = Elements
| next_year = 1993
}}
Unquestionable Presence is the second studio album by American death metal band Atheist. It was released in 1991 and added a new sound by using jazz-like harmonies, subtle Latin rhythms and unusual time signatures.
Background
Bassist Roger Patterson wrote the bass lines for Unquestionable Presence, but died in a touring van accident before the recording sessions took place. His work, however, can be heard on the pre-production demos included with the 2005 re-release. Tony Choy was brought in as a replacement to play bass on the album.
Composition and music
The album makes use of slap bass and odd time signatures. According to Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic, Unquestionable Presence is characterized by "sparing but highly effective use of melody (mostly nuances and accents during solos and choruses)."{{Citation |title=Unquestionable Presence - Atheist {{!}} Album {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/unquestionable-presence-mw0000676961 |access-date=2025-01-21 |language=en}} Unquestionable Presence is considered a landmark album in the genre of technical death metal.Badin, O. (December 2006). Terrorizer #151, "Death Metal: The DM Top 40", page 53. Ultimate Guitar senior editor David Slavković states the album "dives deep into progressive metal waters", highlighting the album's stylistic diversity, and complex song structures and transitions.{{Cite web |title=Friday Top: 25 Best Death Metal Albums of All Time |url=https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/articles/features/friday_top_25_best_death_metal_albums_of_all_time-102419 |access-date=2024-12-30 |website=www.ultimate-guitar.com |language=en}}
Reception and legacy
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = Allmusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r949|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]
|rev2 = Terrorizer
|rev2score = 9.5/10{{cite journal|last=Hinchcliffe|first=James|title=Atheist: Piece of Time/Unquestionable Presence/Elements|journal=Terrorizer|date=November 2005|issue=137|page=72}}
}}
James Hinchcliffe described the album in Terrorizer as "the very pinnacle of scorching yet brain-twisting technical metal". Phil Freeman in The Wire (issue 261, p. 53) described Unquestionable Presence as a "more complex and progressive album, every song rocketing through multiple tricky time signatures and endless variations on already baffling riffs."{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6930013 |title=Atheist - Unquestionable Presence CD Album |publisher=Cduniverse.com |date=2005-08-30 |access-date=2012-03-13}} In October 2005, Unquestionable Presence was inducted into the Decibel Magazine Hall of Fame being the ninth album overall to be featured in the Decibel Hall of Fame.{{cite web|last1=Chase|first1=Jesse|title=Atheist – "Unquestionable Presence"|url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2005/10/01/atheist-unquestionable-presence/|website=Decibel|access-date=2018-05-11}}
The album has been called "one of the Floridian death metal scene's ultimate statements in progressive metal."
Track listing
All lyrics by Kelly Shaefer. All music composed by Atheist.
{{track listing
| total_length = 32:25
| title1 = Mother Man
| length1 = 4:34
| title2 = Unquestionable Presence
| length2 = 4:07
| title3 = Your Life's Retribution
| length3 = 3:17
| title4 = Enthralled in Essence
| length4 = 3:38
| title5 = An Incarnation's Dream
| length5 = 4:53
| title6 = The Formative Years
| length6 = 3:30
| title7 = Brains
| length7 = 3:41
| title8 = And the Psychic Saw
| length8 = 4:45
}}
=2005 re-release=
In 2005, Relapse Records re-released Unquestionable Presence. This edition has been digitally remastered, and features nine bonus tracks.
{{track listing
| total_length = 68:32
| title9 = Enthralled in Essence
| length9 = 3:32
| note9 = Pre-production Demo 8/90
| title10 = The Formative Years
| length10 = 3:29
| note10 = Pre-production Demo 8/90
| title11 = Unquestionable Presence
| length11 = 3:55
| note11 = Pre-production Demo 8/90
| title12 = An Incarnation's Dream
| length12 = 4:09
| note12 = Pre-production Demo 8/90
| title13 = Retribution
| length13 = 3:19
| note13 = Pre-production Demo 8/90 (Instrumental
| title14 = Brains
| length14 = 3:40
| note14 = Pre-production Demo 8/90 (Instrumental
| title15 = Enthralled in Essence
| length15 = 3:44
| note15 = Demo 1990
| title16 = Mother Man
| length16 = 4:42
| note16 = Drums & Bass Tracks
| title17 = And the Psychic Saw
| length17 = 4:27
| note17 = Rhythm Tracks
}}
Personnel
- Kelly Shaefer – vocals, rhythm guitar
- Rand Burkey – lead guitar
- Tony Choy – bass
- Steve Flynn – drums
- Roger Patterson – bass (on tracks 9–15 on 2005 re-release)
- Scott Burns – production
- Atheist – production
- Justice Mitchell – cover artwork