Divided By Design - Musical Artist Press Kit
Approved Artist Bio For Release
Divided by Design is an independent progressive metal project from the United Kingdom, committed to crafting ambitious, cinematic instrumental music. Their latest release, Stages to Osiris: Rebirth, reimagines their acclaimed 2020 debut with heightened musicality and technical precision, earning praise from PROG for injecting “newfound musicality into its technical excellence” and from Toxic Metal Zine for showcasing the band “at their absolute peak.” Building on celebrated releases including Irretraceable Steps, The Fear of Being Forgotten, and A Canvas for the Universe, the band have solidified their reputation as one of the UK’s most forward-thinking prog acts. In 2024, after winning Leeds Metal 2 the Masses, they performed at Bloodstock Open Air Festival to critical acclaim, and recently delivered their biggest headline show to date at The Drill in Lincoln, performing Rebirth in full with a live string orchestra and expanded lineup. Further recognition came when guitarist Liam Stephenson won the Guitar ICON competition, earning endorsement deals with Ibanez and Laney — another milestone in the band’s rapidly rising trajectory.
Press Photos
Releases
Stages to Osiris: Rebirth (2026)
PROG - "They've revisited their debut album, finessing its narrative, which charts the five stages of grief, and injecting their newfound musicality into its technical excellence."
A Canvas for the Universe (2023)
Accidental Music Reviewer - "I strongly believe that “A Canvas For The Universe” is a true modern musical masterpiece.."
The Fear of Being Forgotten (2023)
GBHBL - "Progressive absurdity that is both startling and delightful."
Irretraceable Steps (2022)
Progressive Rock Central - "an excellent, dynamic and diverse instrumental prog album."
Stages to Osiris (2020)
Angry wolf music reviews - “a complex progressive masterpiece”
The Catalyst EP (2020)
Invictamagazine - "brings to the table all the quintessential progressive tropes with a unique edge"
Media Features
GAMES, BRRRAAAINS & A HEAD-BANGING LIFE
"A powerful progressive band finding new heavy depths to sink to, while buoying the mind and spirit with layers of clever melody, Divided by Design have hit a brand-new peak here. Revealing another huge step forward with this album, and proving again, that they are a name that shouldn’t be ignored."
Toxic Metal Zine
“An expansive and colossal exploration of instrumental progressive metal, Stages To Osiris: Rebirth's densely packed five-track run showcases the band at their absolute peak. With soaring, technical guitar passages; phenomenal bass work; air-tight percussion; and a keen blend of the melodic and the ferocious, the UK prog unit's latest foray is one that thrives in its intense attention to detail.”
Get Heavy UK
"Divided By Design show us that the power of music is immense and incredible, something they accomplish through profound and intricate abilities. They show it’s a power that is indeed enough to create worlds and weave visions into our minds, whilst it’s also a power that can induce emotions and so much more. "
Metal Epidemic
"Ought to impress and entertain prog and non-prog fans"
Straight to the Core Podcast
Straight to the Core Podcast
“One of the best instrumental albums I’ve heard in a long long time”
Accidental Music Reviewer
Straight to the Core Podcast
“a progressive rock tour de force who have created an album that may be heralded as a masterpiece in years to come"
Musipedia of Metal
Musipedia of Metal
Musipedia of Metal
“creating 'progressive' music in the purest sense of the word, letting no genre constraints get in their way"