Aaron Marshall: The Progressive Guitar Virtuoso
Aaron Marshall is the Canadian guitarist, composer, and founding member of the instrumental progressive rock band Intervals. Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, he has carved a distinct niche in modern instrumental music through his technical prowess and melodic focus. His band's 2014 album A Voice Within debuted at number 15 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, signaling a breakthrough in the genre.
Early career
Aaron Marshall began his musical journey in Toronto, forming Intervals as a solo project in 2011. The project initially gained traction online through self-released EPs, showcasing a blend of complex metal and accessible melody. His early work, like the 2011 EP The Space Between, was released independently, building a dedicated following within the online guitar community.
Breakthrough
Intervals' breakthrough arrived with the 2014 album A Voice Within, which featured vocalist Mike Semesky and was released via Century Media Records. This release marked a shift to a more structured, song-oriented approach within the progressive metal framework. The album's chart entry on the Billboard Heatseekers chart demonstrated a growing commercial reach for the instrumental rock genre.
Key tracks
Automaton — This track from The Shape of Colour album is celebrated for its intricate riffing and remains a live set staple.
Mata Hari — A single from the 2017 album The Way Forward that perfectly encapsulates Marshall's balance of technical guitar work and catchy hooks.
Belvedere — An earlier composition that helped define the Intervals sound, merging djent-inspired rhythms with soaring melodic leads.
String Theory — This song showcases Marshall's evolution into a more refined, compositionally dense style on later albums.
Following the vocal experiment, Marshall returned Intervals to its instrumental roots with the 2015 album The Shape of Colour. This release, and subsequent works like 2017's The Way Forward and 2020's Circadian, were released via his own label, Fascination Street Studio, in partnership with labels like Sheet Happens Publishing. His collaborations include guest appearances with artists like Plini and performances with legendary drummer Marco Minnemann.
Fans of Aaron Marshall's intricate and melodic guitar work may also enjoy Plini for his jazz-inflected progressive compositions. Animals As Leaders shares a similar technical mastery within the instrumental metal domain. The melodic focus can also be found in the work of Polyphia, who blend progressive rock with modern hip-hop beats. CHON offers a math-rock approach with a sunnier, more complex melodic sensibility.
Aaron Marshall's music with Intervals is a regular feature on dedicated progressive rock and modern metal radio stations. His tracks are programmed by online rock radio streams that specialize in instrumental virtuosity and by independent music radio stations supporting the current wave of progressive guitarists.
The dynamic instrumental rock of Aaron Marshall and Intervals can be heard on radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover and enjoy his catalog of progressive guitar music through the variety of rock radio stations available on onairium.com.
