It's been an interesting journey for Canadian progressive metal outfit Intervals. After building a diehard fanbase with their purely instrumental jams, the group added a vocalist to the mix for 2013's A Voice Within – a move that proved divisive for both the band and its followers. It was short-lived, however – in 2015 Intervals returned to its roots, thrilling fans with the instrumental album The Shape of Colour. Throughout the band's various incarnations guitarist and founder Aaron Marshall has remained a constant, and his insane fretwork and stylistic fluidity continue to be hallmarks of the band's live shows. Marshall and his band tear through genres a mile a minute in concert, adding a hard-hitting metal edge to everything from funk and jazz to psychedelic rock. The band's talented rhythm section is airtight, but Marshall's virtuosic shredding is the real star of the show, and his ability to make the guitar sing pushes the band's instrumental jams to the limit.

BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:

Toronto-based Aaron Marshall started writing and recording as Intervals in 2011 after quitting his previous band Speak of the Devil. He performed and recorded his debut EP The Space Between by himself in his home studio, but by 2012 he was playing with a rotating group of musicians. The band's second EP, 2012's In Time, was a major hit with critics, leading to sponsorship deals with some of the biggest brands in rock including Ernie Ball and Pearl Drums. Intervals shook things up in 2013, moving bassist Mike Semesky to vocal duties, and in 2014 they released their full-length debut album A Voice Within, which featured Semesky's vocals. The record garnered praise from critics, but the new sound ultimately caused a rift within the group, and in late 2014 Marshall parted ways with Semesky and the rest of the band. He returned to his instrumental roots for Intervals' 2015 sophomore album The Shape of Colour, and has been blowing minds on tour with a new lineup ever since.