Oakland, California based Psychedelic Prog Metal outfit Owl published the second single “Pyramid Builder” taken from the band’s upcoming full-length album “Geomancy,” due out on February 17, 2023 via Lummox Records. Stream the track via Heavy Blog Is Heavy: https://www.heavyblogisheavy.com/2023/01/26/owl-pyramid-builder/
Owl’s 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 Earth’s continued viability rend consciousness in humanistic terms, and trenchant dual guitar leads echo Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Thin Lizzy, and King Crimson.
Elaborates drummer Clint Baechle on “Pyramid Builder“: “The music for Pyramid Builder was a composition that [bassist] Jamie Sanitate had been kicking around for years. Jamie and I had tried to use it for our punk side project Cronander but it didn’t fit. When Jamie got on board as the new bass player for Owl, he came bearing gifts: the music for Pyramid Builder. [Guitarist/vocalist] Alex [“A.K.” Baechle] then put lyrics to it, and as a band we adapted the arrangement to make it more “Owl-like.” Although it’s some of our only music that wasn’t written by the core songwriting team, the tune fit very well into our repertoire, and now occupies a prominent place on the new album, Geomancy.”
Adds Heavy Blog Is Heavy: “their tone is stoner metal but their composition is early Iron Maiden through and through, creating those ‘descending’ couplings between guitars, drums, and bass. Add in the vocals, both the deeper main ones and the high-pitched, screamed backing tracks, and you’ve got everything you need for an absolute banger.”
Owl was forged in 2007 in the infernos of Proto-Metal, twin harmonies, and Doom. By 2010, an album’s worth of minimal demo(nic) riffage and draconian indulgence surfaced in Jackson, California, propagated by brothers Axell Baechle (guitars, vocals, piano) and Alexander (A.K.) 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 Oakland’s then house scene.
DIY funds materialized from hard work and dedication and 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. Sanitate’s athletic, NWOBHM-influenced bass playing buoyed Owl through a period of intermittent touring while the band grappled with new ideas. Finally in 2018, “Awaken The Mountain” was released as a single, highlighting the band’s 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 year’s “Geomancy.”
“Geomancy” will be released on 2xLP and digital formats.
Pre-order the album on Bandcamp: https://owlbrotherhood.bandcamp.com/album/geomancy
Tracklist:
01. Awaken The Mountain
02. Runes
03. Pyramid Builder
04. Khorus
05. Minion Of The Amethyst Cave
06. Jupiterian Ocean
07. Ghost Lanes
08. Runes Reprise
09. A King For Every Mountain
10. Floating Island
11. Shadow Of Ehecatl
12. La Luz Compartida
Lineup:
Axell Baechle / Guitars, Vocals, Piano
Alexander “A.K.” Baechle / Guitars, Vocals
Clint Baechle / Drums, Percussion
Jamie Sanitate / Bass Guitar
Additional musicians:
Danika Ingraham / Backing Vocals
Keenah Fassett / Backing Vocals
Laurie Sue Shanaman / Backing Vocals on “King“
Hailey Chase / Backing Vocals And Percussion on “Shadow“
Xaina / Backing Vocals And Percussion on “Shadow“