Atomic Rooster | Circle The Sun and the Fire Still Burns

ATOMIC ROOSTER IN 2025. PHOTO BY BRIAN SAYLE

When keyboard visionary Vincent Crane and teenage drum prodigy Carl Palmer broke away from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown in 1969, few could have predicted the musical storm that would follow. Within weeks, the pair had formed Atomic Rooster, joined by bassist and vocalist Nick Graham, and began shaping a sound that blended progressive ambition with raw, heavy energy - a precursor to what would soon be called hard rock and proto-metal.

Their self-titled debut album appeared in early 1970, driven by Crane’s thunderous Hammond organ and a rhythmic ferocity that made them stand out from the progressive pack. But in true Rooster fashion, the line-up combusted almost as soon as it caught fire. Palmer departed to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and Graham exited soon after, leaving Crane to rebuild the band from the ground up - something he would do several times in the years ahead.

ATOMIC ROOSTER REMASTERED & EXPANDED CD RELEASES

With guitarist John Du Cann and drummer Paul Hammond, Atomic Rooster entered their most successful phase. Their second album, Death Walks Behind You (1970), was a revelation - dark, inventive, and utterly unique - and delivered the hit single “Tomorrow Night.” Its follow-up, In Hearing Of Atomic Rooster (1971), produced another classic in “Devil’s Answer,” cementing the band’s status as one of Britain’s most original heavy acts.

Line-up shifts became a way of life: vocalist Peter French came and went, Chris Farlowe brought a soulful edge to Made in England (1972) and Nice ’n’ Greasy (1973), and through it all, Crane’s writing and organ playing remained the band’s beating heart - dramatic, brooding, and unmistakably British. His passing in 1989 was a tragic loss, but his influence - equal parts gothic grandeur and jazz-infused daring - continues to resonate.

Among the many musicians to pass through Atomic Rooster’s ranks, guitarist Steve “Boltz” Bolton played a vital role in the band’s later years, bringing a distinctive melodic edge that complemented Vincent Crane’s trademark intensity. His return for Circle The Sun connects the group’s classic legacy to its modern incarnation.

HEAR THE SINGLE 'NO MORE'

Now, more than fifty years after that first blast of Friday 13th, Atomic Rooster rise again with Circle The Sun, their first full studio album in over four decades. Out this Friday on Esoteric Antenna, it’s a powerful reaffirmation of the band’s legacy - proof that the Rooster’s fire still burns.

Led by original guitarist Steve “Boltz” Bolton, Adrian Gautrey (keys/vocals), Shugg Millidge (bass), and Paul Everett (drums), the new line-up honours Crane’s vision while forging forward. Across ten tracks, Circle The Sun channels the heavy, mystical atmosphere of Death Walks Behind You while adding a modern, cinematic edge. Songs like “Fly or Die”, “Rebel Devil” and the title track bristle with the kind of melodic menace that made Rooster so singular - swirling Hammond organ, blistering guitar, and a rhythm section that rumbles like an engine from the underworld.

Still performing to sold-out crowds and still impossible to categorise, Atomic Rooster remain as vital as ever - a band that has circled the sun many times, yet continues to shine with undimmed intensity.