Based in Miami the band formed in a fairly unconventional manner. Producer Paul Trust first discovered Sergio Sanchez in 2006 and immediately they dove into the songwriting process. "I then found Z via an online classified," tells Sergio. "I sent him a few songs, and he quickly sent me back demos of the songs with his own twist. I was blown away, but I realized he was in Austria. He had the classified setup as if he wanted to live in South Florida. I flew him over, and a two-week vacation visa turned into a three-month vacation visa and, before you know it, we got him an entertainer visa."
Alex “Z” Zilinski’s addition was just the beginning. Dirk Hemsath of Working Group Artist Management came on board after hearing a demo at the SXSW Music Conference in 2007 and the band's lineup solidified in late 2008 when bassist Arnold Nese and drummer Mark Annino joined the fold permanently and finally in the spring of 2010 the final piece was the addition of guitarist Luke Rice. Atom Smash had been working with producer Paul Trust on the songs that would eventually comprise their Sacrifice EP. In support of the EP's release, they immediately hit the road in early 2009. Through sharing stages with the likes of Saliva, Tantric and Halestorm, Atom Smash cultivated a raucous live show, winning new fans every night.
Atom Smash harness just the right sonic chemistry on their eponymous full-length Jive Records debut. Over the course of the record's eleven tracks, the quartet pumps out one anthem after another. First single "Do Her Wrong" is loaded with rumbling riffs, calculated grooves and an unforgettable hook. Energy bubbles over as Arnold and Mark lock into impenetrable rhythms. Z's guitar curls around the grooves with screeching leads and a jagged echo, while vocalist Sergio carries massive choruses to arena-ready heights.
"Do Her Wrong" stands out for us," exclaims Sergio. "The story is pretty simple; it's an anthem for every guy out there. No matter how perfect of a girl you have and how amazing the situation could be, you could still do it wrong. She could have everything, and it still wouldn't work. It's an anthem for how foolish we can be as men."
Atom Smash's songs burst at the seams with the kind of tangible charisma that Stone Temple Pilots and Alice in Chains conjured along with a sexy, slick industrial bent a la Nine Inch Nails. Cuts like "Sacrifice" and "Naked" exude both sides of Atom Smash—the splitting heavy edge and the catchy core.
Sergio describes the band’s style best. "Our sound is modern grunge. It's straight-forward rock 'n' roll with some electro thrown in for good measure. When I was around ten, my older brother started jamming a lot of Nirvana and Soundgarden, and that definitely paved the way for me musically."
Another standout, "Ashes," shows the band consciously nodding to their influences and giving some serious respect. Sergio continues, "The song really embodies all of our influences, and it lyrically celebrates the people that came before us. We're basically living on the ashes of these amazing artists that preceded us. We want to keep that spirit alive in modern music and pay homage." The band caught Jive's attention after producer David Bendeth [Paramore, UnderOATH, Breaking Benjamin] encouraged them to shop "Do Her Wrong" and "Erase Those Days" to various labels. Jive officially signed the band in January 2010, and the label instantly felt like home for Atom Smash. "Jive was the obvious choice for us," Sergio adds. "We all felt right about it and we could tell they believed in us enough to take us to the next level."
In the studio, the group translated their power-packed live show into eleven album cuts. With David Bendeth and Paul Trust behind the board, these four musicians quickly churned out a complete vision. "When we met David for the first time, he inspired us to write better songs. After the Jive deal was done, we immediately went in the studio with him. I write songs in an organic way. If it feels right and fits the mood, we go for it. We just want to write great songs that embody this particular chapter of our lives. It's a very human record, and the lyrics come from a genuine place."
In the end, it's all revealed in the band's name for Sergio. "It's a pretty simple and literal moniker. The band has a certain quality where we can break into a pop song and then on the next song I'll be screaming my guts out, performing and throwing down as hard as anyone out there. As Atom Smash, we're basically creating energy."
Shooting Star
Atom Smash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All across the earth
I've seen diamonds I've seen pearls
I was in and out, lost and found
My own way to slow me down
Yes I got what I deserved
Then you fell to me like a shooting star
Found my lips to break your fall
Then you came my way like a brand new day
Felt you in my arms said you're here to stay
I never wanted this, I never wanted like this before
My shooting star
Through the canyons and the rivers
The world was not enough
See I've made war and I've made love
I was lost in space without a trace
The cigarettes that guide my way
Light me up and watch me burn
Until the night you cracked the sky
Then you fell to me like a shooting star
Found my lips to break your fall
Then you came my way like a brand new day
Felt me in your arms said you're here to stay
I never wanted this, I never wanted like this before
I know one day that you'll burn out
Until then the night is ours
Then you fell to me like a shooting star
Found my lips to break your fall
Then you came my way like a brand new day
Felt you in my arms said you're here to stay
My shooting star
(You fell to me)
You're my shooting star
I broke your fall
You're my shooting star
(You fell to me)
I broke your fall
My shooting star
(You fell to me)
I never wanted this, I never wanted like this before
Edited by Nick Wallace
The lyrics of Atom Smash's Shooting Star tell a story of a person who has experienced a lot of life, seen many things, and perhaps made some mistakes along the way. They've been through different terrains and crossed the world, from oceans to deserts, canyons to rivers, and everywhere in between. They've seen the beauty of "diamonds" and "pearls," but also experienced war and love. The person has been lost and found, and has found ways to slow themselves down, though they've also "got what [they] deserved."
The song's narrator seems to have resigned themselves to their way of life, until one day something changes. A shooting star falls from the sky, and the person catches it in their arms, breaking its fall with their lips. This event is a turning point in the singer's story; they've never experienced anything like this before, and it feels like a new beginning. The person realizes that they never wanted something like this before, but now they have it - this shooting star. They know that eventually, it will burn out, but for now, it's theirs to hold and cherish until the night is over.
Overall, the theme of the song seems to be about finding something unexpected and beautiful in life, something that breaks the routine and opens up new possibilities. The shooting star is a metaphor for this, as it falls from the sky unexpectedly, and transforms the person's life.
Line by Line Meaning
Through the oceans and the deserts
All across the earth
I've seen diamonds I've seen pearls
I have traveled far and wide, through oceans and deserts, seeing and experiencing many things. Among them, I have seen both valuable diamonds and pearls.
I was in and out, lost and found
My own way to slow me down
Yes I got what I deserved
I lived a life of highs and lows, experiencing moments of confusion and moments of clarity. I tried various methods to find peace, but ultimately found myself dealing with the consequences of my actions.
Until the day the sky gave way
Then you fell to me like a shooting star
Found my lips to break your fall
Then you came my way like a brand new day
Felt you in my arms said you're here to stay
I never wanted this, I never wanted like this before
My shooting star
One day, out of nowhere, you entered my life like a shooting star falling from the sky. I caught you and it felt like a new beginning, a chance to start fresh. You felt right in my arms and I knew that I wanted you to stay, even though I had never experienced anything quite like this before.
Through the canyons and the rivers
The world was not enough
See I've made war and I've made love
I continued my travels through various terrains, exploring the world around me. I have experienced the joys of love and also the destruction of war.
I was lost in space without a trace
The cigarettes that guide my way
Light me up and watch me burn
There was a time where I felt lost and alone, with no path to follow. I turned to cigarettes for comfort and guidance, even though I knew that it was a self-destructive habit.
Until the night you cracked the sky
Then you fell to me like a shooting star
Found my lips to break your fall
Then you came my way like a brand new day
Felt me in your arms said you're here to stay
I never wanted this, I never wanted like this before
Once again, you entered my life in a dramatic fashion, cracking the sky and falling to me like a shooting star. I caught you again and it felt like another chance to start fresh, this time with you in my arms. You felt like you belonged, even though I never expected to feel this way before.
I know one day that you'll burn out
Until then the night is ours
I am aware that our time together may be limited, but until then, I will continue to cherish every moment we have, especially at night.
Then you fell to me like a shooting star
Found my lips to break your fall
Then you came my way like a brand new day
Felt you in my arms said you're here to stay
My shooting star
Once again, you fell to me like a shooting star, and I caught you. I held you close and it felt like a new beginning. I knew that I wanted you to stay with me, forever my shooting star.
(You fell to me)
You're my shooting star
I broke your fall
You're my shooting star
(You fell to me)
I broke your fall
My shooting star
(You fell to me)
You fell into my life unexpectedly, and I caught you. I saved you from a hard fall, and now you are my shooting star, the one bright light that guides me through life.
I never wanted this, I never wanted like this before
I never expected to feel such a strong connection to another person like this before, to the point where I never wanted to let go.
Contributed by Charlotte J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mack silva
this is a damn good song.i got to see them do it acoustic style in rincon,ga.great show