Eye of Aquila, Matt Snyder (vocals); Nicole Ridge (guitars); Joe Neves (drums) and Bruce Fowler (bass), are the third Californian band in the last two months to have earned themselves a Desert Psychlist review and are the third in that period to blend into their core sound of doom, heavy psych and stonerized metal elements of grunge and alt-metal. Desert Psychlist does not know if, due to some undiscovered underground tributaries, water from Seattle has been finding its way into California's drinking fountains but something must be causing these bands to take their music into these grungier territories. Of those three releases treading grungier waters, the other two being from Sea of Snakes and Desert Suns, it is probably Eye of Aquila's "Atavisms" that is the one that sails closest to that early 90's Seattle sound of down tuned riff'n'roll allied to world weary and slightly cynical lyrical content. Having said that Eye of Aquila are not a band trying to re-create an era, these guys infuse into their grooves aspects and elements from not just 90's alternative metal but also from the present days stoner, doom and psych scene in order to create a sound that although somewhat familiar is nonetheless fresh and different.
Opening number "Nova Sun" kicks things off with circular guitar motifs spiralling down to become chugging refrains over a dynamically undulating backdrop of low grizzled bass and busy tight percussion around which a well written and seriously well sung lyric imparts prophetic, often cryptic, wisdom that tells of "cyclical diversions" and "heretical inversions" in tones clean, clear and powerful. "White Gladis" follows and flits back and forth between thrumming doomic riffage and chaotic edged alt-metal bluster bolstered by a vocal that is part an angsty rant and part a Rage Against The Machine type rap. Title track "Atavisms" mixes grunge tinted stoner metal with elements of thrash, psych and even Tool-like complexity around a vocal that in itself is very similar in tone and delivery to that of Tool's Maynard James Keenan, the song also possesses what could well be Desert Psychlist's contender for 2024's lyric of the year with "hemotoxic parasexual, aspirating ineffectual, logic pedant fallen god, fallow feral hypnagog", a sublime piece of wordplay. Final number "Blackened Goat God" is, apart from possessing a title at least one band are going to steal for their own, a slow burning atmospheric tome that builds from laid back and languid origins to become an almost traditional metal style torch song in its later stages with all involved in its construction bringing their "A" game to the table, the song serving as a fittingly anthemic finale to a damn fine EP.
Lyrically intelligent and musically as tight as a misers purse Eye Of Aquila's "Atavisms" is high quality from it first note to it last, a superb blending of alternative metal, stonerized heavy rock and psychedelic doom that despite its late December release has to be considered for being one of the best EP releases of 2024.
Check it out .....
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