Jim Tasikas - Guitars
Joe Lamoureux - Guitars
Bill Bodily - Bass
Jon Phipps - Synths
George Kollias - Drums
Jakob Sin - Vocals

Contrarian is an American progressive death metal band from Rochester, New York, formed in 2012 and spearheaded by guitarist and songwriter Jim Tasikas. Drawing heavily from the adventurous spirit of early 1990s progressive and technical death metal, the band combines intricate musicianship, unconventional song structures and melodic complexity with an organic approach firmly rooted in the genre's old-school foundations.

The band made its recording debut with the *Predestined* EP in 2014. The release attracted the attention of Willowtip Records, which subsequently became Contrarian's longtime label. Their first full-length album, *Polemic*, followed in 2015 and established the band's distinctive mixture of technical death metal and progressive songwriting.

Contrarian continued developing this approach with *To Perceive Is to Suffer* in 2017 and *Their Worm Never Dies* in 2019. The latter was conceived as a concept album and further emphasized the band's interest in philosophical, theological and metaphysical themes. Throughout this period, Contrarian became particularly associated with a style reminiscent of the progressive death metal movement of the early 1990s while maintaining a modern and individual approach to composition.

The band's fourth album, *Only Time Will Tell*, arrived in 2020. Another concept-driven release, the album explored themes involving philosophy, theology, time travel, redemption and love. Contrarian followed it with their fifth full-length, *Sage of Shekhinah*, in 2023. The album continued the band's progressive direction with nuanced compositions, technical musicianship and a deliberately organic production style.

Contrarian has featured a number of accomplished musicians throughout its history. Nile drummer George Kollias has played an important role in the band, performing drums and, during an earlier period, vocals. Other musicians associated with the group have included Brian Mason, Ed Paulsen, Bill Bodily, Cody McConnell, Alex Cohen and Jakob Sin.

The band's current line-up consists of Jim Tasikas on guitars, George Kollias on drums, Bill Bodily on bass, Jakob Sin on vocals and Joe Lamoureux on guitars.

Over the years, Contrarian has performed alongside notable extreme and progressive metal acts including Suffocation, Atheist, Nile, Hate Eternal, Beyond Creation and Rivers of Nihil. With their combination of old-school progressive death metal influences and forward-looking songwriting, Contrarian have established themselves as a distinctive presence within the modern progressive and technical death metal underground.

Full-length albums:

Polemic – 2015
To Perceive Is to Suffer – 2017
Their Worm Never Dies – 2019
Only Time Will Tell – 2020
Sage of Shekhinah – 2023
Escaping Depravity - 2026

EPs:

Predestined – 2014

Compilation:

Demos & Oddities: 1995-1999 – 2023

Progressive Death Metal
United States