Thu, May 25 - 8pm - $10adv/$12door

Detroit-based prog/metal band Imminent Sonic Destruction, was formed in 2008 during an unexpected lunar eclipse, which wiped out vast swaths of humanity and ushered in the so-called New Age of Progressive Super Metal. Maybe you remember. It was a Tuesday.  Even though some of that is made up, the band was initially formed around the strong songwriting of guitarist/vocalist Tony Piccoli, and consists of Pat DeLeon (drums), Pete Hopersberger (keyboards/vocals), Bryan Paxton (bass) and Scott Thompson (guitar/vocals). Imminent Sonic Destruction’s sound is a satisfying blend of styles, at times melodic, complex, epic and crushingly heavy, drawing on the members’ various influences, which cover the full spectrum of prog, rock, and metal.  Imminent Sonic Destruction recorded and released their debut full-length CD, Recurring Themes, in 2012 to critical acclaim. Based on the strength of that album and an energetic live show, they toured North America with prog giants Pain of Salvation and Fates Warning, among others.  In between tours, the band spent time excitedly writing and demo-ing a diverse collection of songs. Which brings Imminent Sonic Destruction to 2016, and the announcement of Triumphia, an ambitious concept album featuring over 69 minutes of music, including the 22+ minute epic “Arborous Calm.” Triumphia will be released worldwide on Luxor Records on September 2, and features artwork by acclaimed artist Travis Smith.

DISTRICT 97 is undoubtedly the most musically adventurous rock band in the world to feature an American Idol Top 10 Female Finalist. Since 2008, this quintet from Chicago has melded an adventurous, uncompromising instrumental prowess with the look, sound, and stage presence of vocalist Leslie Hunt. Through world tours and a stream of studio and live releases, the band has garnered a worldwide fanbase; collaborating with the iconic late singer/bassist John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia, UK) and drawing praise from Bill Bruford (drummer of Yes/King Crimson/Genesis), Mike Portnoy (drummer of Dream Theater/Avenged Sevenfold) and other rock luminaries along the way. DISTRICT 97 rehearses doggedly to refine their compositions, ensemble-playing, and stage presentation; their standards for excellence have only grown more rigorous with the passage of time. Their latest studio album STAY FOR THE ENDING (released October 2023) has been widely acclaimed as their greatest work to date.

 Nomadic came together as a result of Eric and Tom's desire to create some music inspired by their mutual love of classic progressive rock, along with other styles that exhibit texture, dynamics, free-form creativity, and originality. They decided early on to go for it without a full-time keyboardist, but wanted another element to keep from being "another power trio" so to speak. That's where Chuck comes in. A fully trained classical musician who has done extensive theater work, and has performed with the CSO, Chuck has another side. With his 7 string violin through a full blown guitar rig, Chuck can go from beautiful violin melodies, to over-driven power chords.  Henry and Tom have worked together with a variety of artists, both on stage, and in the studio, and have a great working relationship and understanding of each others' playing. Henry's impeccable timing, and solid, hard hitting style made him an easy choice for the drummer position. As a trained pianist, he also understands music and song structure as a whole.  Eric's versatility and theoretical knowledge make for some great dynamics in the guitar department. A true "texturalist", he goes from clean, complex chords voicings, to shredding leads and crunchy rhythms.  Tom adds his multi-tasking skills to the mix. Primarily a bass player, he also adds texture by way of bass pedals triggering various synth patches, and is also the group's lead vocalist. Originally a mostly instrumental band, Nomadic is gradually finding more and more vocal tunes coming into the mix.

 What words define the Edensong sound? Even a term as unwieldy as “epic orchestral progressive acoustic metal-infused rock” does little to categorize Edensong’s music.  Edensong draws deeply from classic symphonic progressive acts, with complex song structures that resemble those of early Genesis or Yes, but Edensong does not simply rehash the music from this Golden Age of prog rock. Edensong experiments with wide-ranging musical styles, adding orchestral instruments like flute, violin and cello into the mix of a versatile hard rock band. With what other act would you hear heavy metal guitar riffs, a classical guitar, flute and cello chamber trio, a full church organ, and North Indian tabla playing all in the span of a single album?  Edensong’s music can be as serenely melodic as the music of Simon and Garfunkel and Cat Stevens, or as aggressive as that of Metallica or Opeth. Not even Jethro Tull (another important influence for the band) is quite as eclectic. Using sophisticated and unpredictable compositions, not unlike the large scale works of Dream Theater or Rush, Edensong’s music tells a story, at times attaining the epic feel of the scores of Hans Zimmer or Nobuo Uematsu, while at others achieving a “folkier” simplicity, a singer/songwriter sound that might be more reminiscent of Billy Joel or The Beatles.  Edensong gains inspiration from many styles and eras of music, whether it be from the millennium-long history of Western classical music or the past half-century of rock. While influenced by so many from Gregorian chant to grunge, Edensong rejects any superficial trend in pop music and instead forges its own path through the droves of homogenous sound-alike acts. Edensong, along with a handful of other new bands, such as The Mars Volta, Coheed and Cambria, Three, and Dredg among others, attempts to creatively revitalize rock music in a movement away from the corporately-constructed “mainstream” and toward artist-driven freedom and true originality.