For the first time in more than four decades, there is a new studio with the Atomic Rooster name on it. While this will receive criticism from rock music purists, the new album, Circle The Sun, is a strong effort from the new line up. Regardless if this band should be using the band name or not, it has the feel and sound of an old school Atomic Rooster album.
A Little History
Atomic Rooster were a band formed by former Crazy World of Arthur Brown keyboardist Vincent Crane in 1969. The band would score hits singles with songs such as “The Devil’s Answer” and “Tomorrow Night.” The band’s first three albums (especially their 1970 effort Death Walks Behind You) are still held in high regard by diehard music fans. In their two tenures (1969-74, then 1978-83), the band went through many line up changes, with Crane as the lone consistent member. In their time together, Atomic Rooster would release seven studio albums. After the band’s last split, Crane would continue to perform until his death in 1989.
Along with Crane, other members of Atomic Rooster have passed away: Paul Hammond (1992), John DuCann (2011) and Ric Parnell (2022) just to name a few. Despite the passings of key members, a band called Atomic Rooster have been active since 2016. With the blessing of Crane’s widow, former members Steve Bolton (guitar) and singer Peter French (vocals) have toured under the name Atomic Rooster with some hired hands. French left the band in 2023, leaving Bolton as the lone member from the Crane led version of the band. As of 2025, the new Atomic Rooster consists of:
Steve Bolton- guitar/vocals
Shug Millidge- bass
Paul Everett- drums
Adrian Gautrey- keyboards/vocals
Album Review
Musically, Circle The Sun sounds similar to that of the band’s first three albums. While there are some homages to their soulful period, this album is deeply rooted within in the first three albums.
The album’s opener, “Fly Or Die,” is an example of this: it’s a heavy psych tune filled with plenty of splendid keyboard lines and an overall hypnotic feel to it. The band are all in fine form while singer/keyboardist Adrian Gautrey channels some John DuCann-esque vocals.
From there on out, Circle The Sun is a nice psychedelic and breezy nostalgia trip. If you want more of the same, look no further than the title track, “Follow Me” and “No More.” Of them, “Follow Me” sticks out the most: it’s a fast-paced psychedelic/funk strut and Gautrey’s vocals are killer, sounding similar to that of former Atomic Rooster singer Chris Farlowe. The other two songs are no slouch either: the title track is stoner rock friendly while “No More” sounds like it could’ve been a lost cut from Death Walks Behind You.
Of the ten songs on the album, Steve Bolton sings on four of them. This might confuse some long-time Rooster fans as Bolton didn’t sing on any of the songs from 1972’s Made In England (his lone album with the band until now). While Bolton’s voice is fragile, it has a soulful and rough sound. Of his four songs, “Never 2 Lose” and “Rebel Devil” are the two stands out: the former sounds like a song from Made In England while “Rebel Devil” is catchy hard rock that could be the offspring of “The Devil’s Answer.”
The album also relies on nostalgia, which can be seen as one of the album’s downsides. On the other hand, the album’s use of nostalgia is endearing. The aforementioned “Rebel Devil” is an example of this, along with “Last Night.” The latter is obviously a sequel song to Atomic Rooster’s 1970 hit “Tomorrow Night.” It might be seen as cheap but good Lord, it’s catchy as hell: the soulful vocals and killer keyboards all make it a pleasant tune. Then there’s the album’s closer “Blow That Mind,” which is nice cross between old school tunes “VUG” and “Gershatzer”: it’s a maelstrom of psychedelic and prog, closing out the album nicely.
Conclusion
As a whole, Circle The Sun is a solid effort from the new Atomic Rooster. It isn’t without its flaws but it has the sound and feel of an old school Atomic Rooster album. Whether the band should be using the Atomic Rooster name is another discussion. While the band founded by Vincent Crane is long gone, Bolton and his crew are continuing to fly the Atomic Rooster flag. For what it is, their first effort is pretty damn good.
Even if you’re skeptical about this album, give this album a spin and enjoy.
Album Rating: 7/10
I'm a writer/journalist with a passion for music and pop culture. Having graduated from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2014, I've been looking for a platform in which I can share my passions. Since 2009, I've been posting to my own blog- The Walrus' Music Blog- via Blogger. I'm also the author of two self-published books, "The Camp: Stories from the Summer" and "The College: Stories from King's." Together, the two books cover the story of my life from 2004 to 2014. I've been lucky enough to interview several of my favorite musicians over the years and go to concerts from time to time. I'm also very devoted to the CBS reality TV show Survivor, which I started watching in 2002 when its fourth season started. I currently live in New Jersey.