Gnostic

Atlanta, GA's Gnostic came together in 2005. Their fiercely intricate and boldly avant-garde strain of death metal echoes the pioneering death/jazz approach of '90s innovators Atheist, a likeness explained by three shared musicians and an obvious nod in the band names. Drummer Steve Flynn anchors both groups, having played in Atheist's original lineup and again during its late-'00s reunion tours. Guitarists Sonny Carson and Chris Baker round out the overlap, each having joined Atheist as touring members in the new millennium. Alongside vocalist Kevin Freeman and bassist Stephen Morley, who had previously worked together in AOS and Caustic Thought, the musicians issued demos in 2005 and 2006. Those recordings led to a contract with Season of Mist and the release of Gnostic's first album, Engineering the Rule, in 2009.