   piece of time is the debut album by the technical death metal band atheist, released in 1989 in europe. however, it was not released in the united states until 1990. this was because the label that atheist had initially signed with, mean machine records, was going bankrupt, and the band had to search for another label. they eventually signed with uk label active records, who released their album in europe soon after. the album was not released in the us for another six months, until metal blade records finally arranged a licensing deal with active records and released it to the american market in november 1990. piece of time is the only atheist album to feature bassist roger patterson, although he wrote much of the bass on unquestionable presence. ==reception== in 2005, piece of time was ranked number 402 in rock hard magazine's book of the 500 greatest rock & metal albums of all time. it was described by james hinchcliffe in terrorizer as the band's "least technically accomplished release and their most lyrically immature, [yet] it remains an exceptional work of late 80s deaththrash, crackling with an uncommon energy and creativity". ==track listing== {{tracklist | all_lyrics = kelly shaefer | writing_credits = yes | total_length = 32:10 | title1 = piece of time | writer1 = kelly shaefer, rand burkey, roger patterson, steve flynn | length1 = 4:30 | title2 = unholy war | writer2 = shaefer, patterson, flynn | length2 = 2:19 | title3 = room with a view | writer3 = shaefer
1989_debut_albums Active_Records_albums Albums_produced_by_Scott_Burns_(record_producer) Albums_with_cover_art_by_Ed_Repka Atheist_(band)_albums Relapse_Records_albums