Atomic Opera

Drawing from the spiritually oriented progressive metal sounds of King's X—reminiscent of Beatles and Queen influences, and with whom he shared church services during his residence in Springfield, Missouri—multi-instrumentalist Frank Hart launched Atomic Opera in Houston during the early 1990s. The initial roster also included rhythm guitarist Jonathan Marshal, bassist Jonas Velasco, and drummer Mark Poindexter. Atomic Opera secured a deal with Collision Arts, a subsidiary of Giant, and cut its debut album, For Madmen Only, in 1994 under producer Sam Taylor. Although Giant enjoyed Warner Bros. support, Collision Arts soon collapsed, prompting the band to issue subsequent material independently via its fan club and website; this route yielded the 1990–1993 studio outtakes compilation Alphas & Oranges as well as Penguin Dust. By the 1997 release of the latter, Hart had assembled an entirely new lineup featuring Kemper Crabb—former member of the Christian-oriented folk group Caedmon's Call, who contributed mandolin and assorted stringed instruments—alongside bassist and stick player Ryan Birsinger and drummer John Simmons. Crabb’s folk leanings merged with the band’s melodic prog-metal approach, attracting Metal Blade, which signed Atomic Opera in 1999. The group promptly recorded a follow-up that appeared in 2000 as Gospel Cola.