NOSPUN is an American progressive metal band composed of vocalist Phillip Rich, guitarist James Nelson, bassist Cole Millward, and drummer Paul Wood. Combining virtuosic playing ability, sophisticated songwriting, lyrical depth, and unheard-of self-production quality, the sound is reminiscent of progressive giants like Dream Theater, Symphony X, Devin Townsend, and Haken.
2023 heralded the band’s debut, and the release of their first album, Opus. An ambitious, hour-and-eleven-minute concept album, Opus tells the story of a young composer who struggles with his obsession over writing the greatest piece of music ever… even as reality collapses around him. The album very quickly garnered the attention of progressive music fans across the globe, consequently making it’s way on to many “top albums of 2023” lists. NOSPUN performed Opus live in its entirety for the first time to an enthusiastic crowd at the prestigious ProgPower USA festival in Atlanta, Georgia the following year, 2024.
In March of 2025, the band released Ozai, a five-song EP consisting of music written a decade before their official debut as NOSPUN, re-recorded, mixed, and mastered to align with their current standards of sound quality. Ozai, in contrast to Opus, features self-contained songs and a heavier sound, reminiscent of metal music from the early-mid 2010s. The band released the EP not as a true follow-up to their debut, but as a brief, reverent look back at where they came from.
Knowing that listeners will only be satiated by Ozai for so long, the band currently wades knee-deep through the writing process of their next full-length album.
On The Web:
• Nospun on Facebook
• Nospun on TikTok
• Nospun on Instagram
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PHILLIP RICH
(Vocals)
JAMES NELSON
(Guitars)
COLE MILLWARD
(Bass)
PAUL WOOD
(Drums)
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"...a masterful album of melody, technicality, and prowess…they play with the listener though ethereal passages of sublimity as well as strong displays of musicianship. Their transitions between conflicting passages do not even register for an experienced music fan, they are so smooth.…they have a funky and original sound that is all their own. For me, it sounds like the natural next step of Progressive music in America. Move over, and welcome NOSPUN to the table, for they bring silver cutlery and nine courses of gourmet food for patrons to enjoy."
- METAL TEMPLE
"My favorite part about this band is that they manage to play these incredibly tight, melodic and precise passages, but also manage to have unforgettable choruses and melodies … I could gush about this band for a long time and they only have one full length album and one EP. If that doesn’t say something I don’t know what does. I love (Ozai) and give it a 9.5/10!"
- TECHNICAL MUSIC REVIEW
"If (Ozai) is any indication, their next record will further cement their place in the modern progressive metal scene, pushing boundaries both musically and conceptually."
- THE PROG REPORT