Newcastle upon Tyne's ATOMKRAFT was in fact one of the first Speed Metal bands forming in 1979 at a time when METALLICA was yet to record their seminal 'No Life Til Leather' demo. The band was rooted in the late 70s Punk act MORAL FIBRE which comprised bassist Tony 'Demolition' Dolan, drummer Paul Spillett and guitarists Ian Legg and Chris Taylor. With Legg decamping, Ian Drew took over the vacant six-string position but he too would soon leave. At this juncture Taylor made a trip to Germany and came back sporting a button badge with the environmental message "Atomkraft Nein Danke!"

Suitably inspired, the band duly re-christened itself ATOMKRAFT believing it to be more in keeping with their new Metal sound. The band, now minus Taylor, would also undergo a line-up shift drafting in guitarist Steve White and bassist Mark Irvine alongside Dolan and Spillett. However, after their inaugural gig Irvine's parents persuaded him there was no future with the act and he left.

ATOMKRAFT demoed two sets of four song demos, opening with 1981's Keith Nichol produced 'Demon' set, prior to entering the Neat Records studios Impulse for the 'Total Metal' / 'Death Valley' session in 1983. ATOMKRAFT at this point had a fluid line-up and despite the tape attracting interest on the American underground Metal scene the band broke up with Tony relocating to Canada to try his luck.

Dolan soon returned home and set about reforming ATOMKRAFT with drummer Ged Wolf, ex-TYSONDOG and brother of VENOM manager Eric Cook, and teenage guitarist Rob Matthew. A further demo 'Pour The Metal In' secured a deal with Neat Records for the 'Future Warriors' album, again with production credits going out to Keith Nichol. Famously, as revealed in later years, ATOMKRAFT were contracted for a three album deal, including publishing, for a total advance payment of £1.

The band secured their first European shows opening for VENOM and also supported SLAYER at the Marquee Club. This inaugural London show did not go without incident though as equipment breakages forced the band to cut their set to a mere three songs. Further shows in Europe had ATOMKRAFT supporting EXODUS and VENOM.

Trouble struck when Dolan left the band mid way through recording of a proposed EP to be entitled 'Your Mentor', leaving Wolf and Matthew to pick up the pieces. A new line-up was quickly assembled with new additions being former SATAN and AVENGER vocalist Ian Davison-Swift and bassist D.C. Rage. This version of the band recorded the re-titled 1986 'Queen Of Death' mini-album. The original version of the title track, the only variant to include Tony Dolan lead vocals, would be included on the Neat Metal 'Powertrax' compilation album.

The revised ATOMKRAFT never performed live and before long the band invited Dolan back on board as a guitarist for the 1987 'Conductors Of Noize' EP. ATOMKRAFT were due to play a co-headlining tour of Britain in 1987 but this was cancelled. They fared better in Europe where they played the 'Dynamo' festival in Holland and toured as support to NUCLEAR ASSAULT and AGENT STEEL. The June 20th London Hammersmith Odeon concert, which also jammed ONSLAUGHT onto the bill, was broadcast on the Radio One 'Friday Rock Show' and filmed for commercial release as the 'Conductors Of Noize' video.

The band had a switch of personnel when bassist D.C. Rage rejoined the band and Dolan moved back to rhythm guitar. 1988 saw ATOMKRAFT touring Europe alongside NASTY SAVAGE and EXUMER including the major 'Metal Battle' festival in Katowice, Poland and the Dutch 'Dynamo' festival.

ATOMKRAFT were due to release another album, set to be titled 'Atomized', on a different label to Neat but this never materialised. Dolan later joined VENOM for a series of albums, commencing with 'Prime Evil' in 1990. Following his exit from VENOM in 1994 Dolan became an actor, even scoring a part in the Sylvester Stallone movie 'Judge Dredd'. He would be back on the silver screen in 2003, playing the role of ship's carpenter Mr. Lamb in the swashbuckling Russell Crowe film 'Master & Commander'. On the ATOMKRAFT front it would be learned the long lost 'Atomized' album was set for an early 2004 release. Dolan also featured as bassist on the MANTAS album 'Zero Tolerance'.

A 2004 compilation through Castle Records, 'The Neat Anthology', would include live tracks, 1983 demo material and previously unreleased songs 'Trial By Deception', a cover version of GIRLSCHOOL's 'Demolition Boyz', 'Annihilate the Bride' and 'Dance Of The Immortals'. ATOMKRAFT included a previously unreleased 1988 track, entitled 'No Escape', to the 2004 'Total Metal Attack' NWoBHM era compilation album issued through Old School Records.

The band, now featuring new members in ex-ENDOMORPH, THE STORYTELLER, KARYAN, JAVELIN, WINTERLONG VIPERINE and HUNTER/KILLER guitarist Payre Kankanranta, known in ATOMKRAFT as Payre Hulkoff, and the BLINDED BY FEAR and IRON FIRE credited drummer Steve Mason, returned to live work with an appearance at the March 2005 'Raise Your Fist' festival in Holland.

September of 2004 brought about a surprise with the re-emergence of ex-ATOMKRAFT guitarist Rob Matthew, breaking a two decade absence from the scene. Issuing a press statement claiming "I personally feel that I need to let it be known of my past contribution to metal and no more be undermined by my 'old friends'... " Matthew announced the formation of his new band AGANKAST.

ATOMKRAFT re-debuted with a 2005 EP entitled 'Are You Looking At Me?', this set featuring a cover version of THIN LIZZY's 'Cold Sweat'. Tony Dolan launched an Anglo / Swedish act dubbed RAUBTIER in March 2007 working with guitarist Payre Hulkoff and drummer Matt Buffalo.