TesseracT

Few British bands have shaped the sound of modern progressive metal as directly as Tesseract, the Milton Keynes group often credited with helping to pioneer djent. Formed in 2003, they pair that style's rhythmic, down-tuned guitar attack with soaring melody, and the result is music that rewards close listening. Daniel Tompkins, whose voice is central to their identity, has been with them for much of their existence, and the guitarists, bassist and drummer give their material a tight, propulsive core. Signed to Kscope, they have built a catalogue of five studio albums, three live releases and a run of extended plays.

Their path began with a three-song demo in 2007, which previewed material that became their debut, One, released in March 2011 and preceded by the six-track suite Concealing Fate. Vocal changes shaped the middle years, with Elliot Coleman and then Ashe O'Hara fronting the band before Tompkins returned in 2014. Altered State, from 2013, was a 51-minute piece split into four sections, while Polaris followed in 2015 and Sonder reached release in April 2018.