Voidatlas Might Be the Best, and Only, Djent Band in Denver Right Now

Asking musicians to describe their sound is often an exercise in futility. Other than trying to avoid pigeonholing themselves into a certain subgenre too much, most artists point to general influences or their past work as examples of what informs whatever they’re currently working on.

It’s can be an unfair question, but the members of Denver group Voidatlas took a shot at it when asked to break down its collective DNA of progressive metal. Bassist-vocalist Jake Juarez mentions subgenre forebearers Periphery, Between the Buried and Me, and Animals as Leaders as bands that provide a template for the type of music he and his bandmates make.

“They can scratch all of the itches,” he says. “That’s what makes us progressive. We’re able to scratch the jazz itch. We’re able to scratch the beatdown itch. We’re able to do something a little bit more pop-metal, straightforward. We have the capacity and desire to touch all these different genres. It’s fun and challenging.”

Juarez is into jazz and typically writes poppier song skeletons, he admits. Guitarists Stephen Valeriano and Trent Heddings were playing Midwest math rock before teaming up in Voidatlas. Drummer Joseph Morales, who only joined the quartet two months ago, comes from a pop-punk background. So there’s a lot going on when the four of them get into a room together.

“We all have pretty distinct influences,” says Valeriano, who also holds a degree in classical guitar. “We’re all just lovers of music. No matter what somebody brings to the table during a writing session, everybody finds something to appreciate about it. We don’t clash with writing ever.”

He quips that what they do is like “slam jazz.” Hey, it’s an original tag, if nothing else. But Heddings sums up what Voidatlas is all about with a simple distinction.

“We play on eight-string guitars,” he says.
That tells you all you need to know. And if it doesn’t make sense, that’s why us music writers are always here to translate. Simply put, Voidatlas is a djent band. That term is an onomatopoeia that describes the palm-muted guitar notes that are often associated with this particular style of alt-metal. The more you know.

In the two years since forming, Voidatlas has done its part in spreading DJ awareness around Denver with a steady stream of singles and a debut EP, Surrounding. The latest track, “Severance,” out earlier this year, is another example of the modern metal on the upcoming EP, working title Descending, which, per current plans, will be ready to go by the end of August.

“I think this is the first time we get to put out something that is us. We learned a lot from it,” Jaurez says, adding a proper LP is in the works, too (release date TBD).

“We got to showcase some of our chops, but let’s see if we can further dig through those earworms and make ourselves ever more accessible, while feeling like we’re able to push ourselves technically as musicians,” he continues. “I think it’s been a really interesting challenge, and I think we’ve been so far successful in how we’ve been writing that stuff.”

Voidatlas is excited to share some new material, including the next single, at its show on Saturday, July 26, at Moe’s Original BBQ. Triune, Lightstory and Author of Your Downfall round out the brutal all-local bill.

The weekend gig will also be the first with Morales behind the kit. “I love this heavy stuff,” he says. “I just never had the opportunity to play it. I’ve been out of the scene for a little, but when Stephen reached out and sent me the music, as soon as I started listening to it, I was like, ‘I want to be in the band.’”

Given the playing proficiency of everyone involved, Voidatlas is certainly a musicians’ band, but it doesn't come off as pretentious as that may sound. Writing such catchy songs allows anyone to get into it.

“We have this desire to keep shredding and showing off our stuff on our instruments, but we also want to be accessible,” Heddings explains. “We’re trying to write stuff that you don’t have to be a musician to enjoy. You can hum along to it and get a little earworm stuck in your head.”

Proficiency is proving to be another strength, as there never seems to be a shortage of ideas or riffs, so keep an eye, and ear, out for Voidatlas and these gentlemen of djent.

“The best and worst part of being in a band of this style or playing in a very writing-heavy band with so many heads contributing, is that we’re finally putting out this music that’s been written and ready for the better part of a year, but we’re admittedly already tired of it,” Heddings concludes. “Like this is cool, but you should hear what we’re writing now. The cycle never ends.”

Voidatlas, with Triune, Lightstory and Author of Your Downfall, 7 p.m. Saturday, July 26, Moe’s Original BBQ, 3295 South Broadway. Tickets are $15.