UNSIGNED AND UNHOLY: SPECIAL PROVIDENCE, ATOMIS, A RED SKY COLLAPSE

If I had a nickel for every awesome unsigned band I’m featuring today… I’d have exactly 15 cents. To boot:

• Special Providence: So I guess jazz-fusion metal is gonna be the new big thing? If you’re into T.R.A.M. and Trioscapes (like me) you’re definitely gonna dig Special Providence’s funky, jazz-laden and occasionally metal groove. Love the sound of shred guitar over top bass-heavy jazz vamps! Stream their album Soul Alert below:

• Atomis: This Canadian band really reminds me of latter-day The Ocean. It’s rare you’ll see us praise bands that sound so much like other bands, but seeing as a) The Ocean are fantastic and they haven’t exactly spawned a glut of imitators, b) these guys are obviously very good, and c) their music video for “Maelstorm” is really cool, I’m gonna give them a pass. Take a look below and hang on for the ride:

• A Red Sky Collapse: These guys remind me of a heavier but more melodeath-y Faceless, the direction Michael Keene could’ve taken his band if he’d listened to a bit more Black Dahlia Murder perhaps. Still plenty of proginess and sci-fi sound effects happening, though. I really like the one song “Observer” they’ve got posted at Bandcamp right now; there’s even an extended “jam” at the end of the track that was really unexpected but welcome. Stream:

-VN