10 Great Rock Music Acts Who Were Too Far Ahead Of Their Time
9. The Qemists
EDM and rock have crossed paths several times in the past, with the most notable examples being the likes of The Prodigy, Crossfaith, and more recently, Electric Callboy. However, one crossover act that you may not be familiar with is The Qemists. Forming in the UK as far back as 2004, the members trace their lineage as session musicians through rock and D&B. Upon releasing their debut album, ‘Join the Q’, in 2009, The Qemists were hailed as overnight sensations. However, they ramped it up a gear for their 2016 magnum opus, ‘Warrior Sound’. This album was simply flawless and ranks amongst the best dance-rock crossover albums of all time… or at least it should do.
Receiving an endless stream of exposure from 2015-2017, The Qemists were regulars on Kerrang, played Download Festival, and were the main support for Korn’s 2015 European tour. So, what happened? Well, it seems that even most of their fans don’t know where the band went. They haven’t released an album since ‘Warrior Sound’ and haven’t posted on social media since 2021.
With their energetic, catchy, and sometimes emphatically powerful presentation, The Qemists would be an ideal candidate for TikTok stardom had they peaked a decade later. Proving this is the success of Electric Callboy, Hanabie, and Kaarija, who all exhibit many conventional similarities with the Brighton-based D&B-dance-rock hybrids. In short, it seems The Qemists were in the right place but at the wrong time.