Decibel Magazine is currently streaming Geomancy, the third full-length from California-based psychedelic prog metallers OWL. The premiere comes on the eve of the recordâs official release, Friday, February 17th, via Lummox Records.
OWLâs ambitious Geomancy long player enhances baroque elements of guitar composition while maintaining a defiant, barbed-wire anti-sociality. Ten-minute sagas erupt from inspirations bestial as cougar maulings, odes to Earthâs continued viability rend consciousness in humanistic terms, and trenchant dual guitar leads echo Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Thin Lizzy, and King Crimson.
Notes Decibel Magazine, âGeomancy is a full-on trip, bearing more similarities to Pink Floyd, King Crimson, and even Thin Lizzy as it does Sleep. Clocking in at over an hour total runtime, Geomancy sees the band really explore ideas, jamming on them for long periods without vocals and digging into psychedelia and stoner grooves with equal pleasure. The album ebbs and flows in its intensity but builds to two massive compositions in its later half: âA King For Every Mountainâ and âShadow Of Ehecatl.â The two ten-minute compositions, as well as the six-minute âFloating Islandâ sandwiched between, feel like the culmination of the album; they contain the heaviness of âJupiterian Oceanâ and the melodies of âRunes Reprise,â building into a spectacular prog-metal conclusion that quietly fades out as the outro track, âLa Luz Compartida.ââ
Stream OWLâs Geomancy exclusively at Decibel Magazine today at THIS LOCATION.
Geomancy was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Justin Weis at Trackworx (Hammers Of Misfortune, Swamp Witch, Orthodox) and comes swathed in the cover art of Chris Corona.
Geomancy will be released on 2xLP and digital formats. Find preorders at THIS LOCATION.
OWL was forged in 2007 in the infernos of proto-metal, twin harmonies, and doom. By 2010, an albumâs worth of minimal demo(nic) riffage and draconian indulgence surfaced in Jackson, California, propagated by brothers Axell Baechle (guitars, vocals, piano) and Alexander âA.K.â Baechle (guitars, vocals) and piqued the interest of industrious local artist, drummer, and yes, third brother, Clint Baechle. OWL played their first show at a barbecue in the proving ground of Oaklandâs then house scene.
Their self-titled LP followed in November 2012, as principal songwriter A.K. sweated out the resins of literature, the Bush years, and job loss. OWL toured for more than two years before releasing the full-length road-bomber Screech on tape in 2014 and vinyl in 2015. Original bassist Melanie Burkett eventually fled the band amicably to pursue endeavors outside of music.
Enter Jamie Sanitate, the ultimate Iron Maiden fan. Sanitateâs athletic, NWOBHM-influenced bass playing buoyed OWL through a period of intermittent touring while the band grappled with new ideas. Finally in 2018, âAwaken The Mountainâ was released as a single, highlighting the bandâs heavy-prog interests and the Pompeii-inspired songwriting of guitar animal, Axell. A true prog metal epic and cautionary tale of dwelling too close to volatile geologic formations, the track offered up a small taste of what would follow with this yearâs Geomancy.
âGeomancy buzzes and hums with the energy of a real live performance, but OWL‘s ingenuity in the studio has elevated some miraculous performances into an unexpected magic carpet ride through largely unfamiliar realms. It’s enough to make your head swivel all the way around. Which owls can’t actually do, but you get the idea…â â Blabbermouth
âGeomancy is a ride; a righteous interpretation of the greater â70s progressive rock opera by way of stoney desert metal and this muchâll be obvious within just a couple of pieces. Humble production values and spirited, appropriately fiddly arrangements should speak to King Gizzard heads as well as folks interested in a shaken loose proto-metal feeling.â â Grizzly Butts
ââ¦exciting listening that requires your full attention. With so many facets and aspects, there is a raw charm in its borderline anti-social chaos and OWL have demonstrated that you donât need to be a sweep-picking, tapping, precision-engineered riff machine to be capable of some mad musical acrobatics.â â Distorted Sound
ââ¦their tone is stoner metal but their composition is early Iron Maiden through and through, creating those âdescendingâ couplings between guitars, drums, and bass. Add in the vocals, both the deeper main ones and the high-pitched, screamed backing tracks, and youâve got everything you need for an absolute banger.â â Heavy Bog Is Heavy on âPyramid Builderâ
OWL:
Axell Baechle â guitars, vocals, piano
Alexander âA.K.â Baechle â guitars, vocals
Clint Baechle â drums, percussion
Jamie Sanitate â bass guitar
Additional Musicians:
Danika Ingraham â backing vocals
Keenah Fassett â backing vocals
Laurie Sue Shanaman â backing vocals on âKingâ
Hailey Chase â backing vocals and percussion on âShadowâ
Xaina â backing vocals and percussion on âShadowâ
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The post OWL: Decibel Magazine Premieres Geomancy Full-Length From California Psychedelic Prog Metal Group; Record To Drop This Friday Via Lummox Records first appeared on Earsplit Compound.