SYZYGY is a progressive rock trio from Gainesville, Florida, consisting of guitarist/vocalist Tom Nelly, bassist KD McClellan, and drummer Dan Landis. After forming the band in late 2013, each member was eager to contribute to the new project, so the writing process took off quickly. Just prior to their first show, the band settled on the name “SYZYGY” – a little-known astronomical term describing “an alignment of three celestial objects.” It was such an appropriate description of the trio and its philosophy that the unique word continues to resonate with both band members and fans alike.
When writing, SYZYGY focuses intently on creating complex compositions that nevertheless remain memorable and accessible to a variety of listeners. A classic rock element is woven throughout the songs, although at any moment the music may jump boldly into a metal frenzy, or segue into a tranquil groove. This eclectic style of songwriting creates points of interest for every serious music fan. Unusual time signatures and the use of polyrhythms are another notable hallmark of SYZYGY’s style. Each track averages around ten minutes in length, providing ample time for the band to interweave many diverse musical constructs into a cohesive and interesting whole.
In 2014, SYZYGY released a self-titled three-song demo, with each lengthy track covering a variety of styles and effectively creating a snapshot of the type of music the band would go on to feature in their first full-length effort. This debut album, titled “Misconnected Man,” was released in late 2017. With six songs totaling 60 minutes of music, “Misconnected Man” showcases the collaborative efforts of each band member sweetly combined to culminate in a tasty recipe for SYZYGY’s particular brand of prog rock. The band spent long hours dedicated to ensuring that the album’s audio mix was carefully balanced, so the vocals and all the instruments would come through clearly, without overshadowing any of the intricate details. This focus on respecting the importance of each member’s contributions is an example of the group dynamic that allows this trio to continue to write and perform prolifically and successfully.
SYZYGY has played numerous shows throughout Gainesville, as well as various music festivals in Florida. Each show includes songs from both the demo and full-length album, plus a steady stream of new, unreleased music. SYZYGY continues to write and perform, with hopes of expanding their reach to all of Florida, and beyond. We invite you to listen to SYZYGY’s music posted on Bandcamp, and keep an eye out for live shows.
We hope to see you soon!
SYZYGY 