Release Date: June 1st 2023. Record Label: Moments Records. Formats: DD/Vinyl
Made Of Dust: Tracklisting
Enlightenment
On My Way
New Expectations
Leave Me Be
Paralysis
Rebirth
Awakening
Members
Mark Russell – Vocals/Drums
Ross Ferguson – Guitar/Vocals
Review
Patience Vol 1 is the debut album from Doom/Stoner Metal duo Owls & Eagles and it’s a vast Psychedelic affair with elements of Transcendent Metal reminiscent of YOB and OM in places. Throw in heavy and spaced out grooves that draws upon bands such as UFOMAMMUT, Mastodon, SLEEP and Black Sabbath then you have a record that’s quite OUT THERE mostly down to the trippy lyrics and sublime soundbytes the band use for a more WEEDIAN creative narrative.
The vocals from both Mark and Ross are quite different from each other. One being more soulful and peaceful whilst the other is more aggressive which both give the band its Doom/Stoner Metal edge. The music is a mixture of Heavy Psych, Doom Metal and Prog Stoner Metal with a subtle raw atmospheric sound that allows the band to play a subtle style of AMPLIFIER FUZZED UP WORSHIP. There’s a lot of guitar reverb and feedback energy heard within the excellent opening track Enlightenment.
Enlightenment allows Owls & Eagles to establish their creative and storytelling narrative which sounds like a gloomier version of OM but with the punishing WEEDIAN grooves allowing the band to play their own blend of Meditative Doom. The song has a wonderfully daring attitude which carries on throughout the whole album.
Second song On My Way is a trippy and droned out journey with the band taking a more Shamanic approach with their vocals. Psychedelic textures are broken down and split into more subtle Sludgy atmospherics with a down-tuned approach of the music becoming more gloomier with the intense lyrics the band have written for this track.
Third song New Expectations opts for a more Post-Doom/Post-Stoner journey with a Post-Rock sound with ethereal chants leading the way before Owls & Eagles return to their heavy DOOMED OUT ways. There’s a massive Jim Morrision influence with the vocals and creative storytelling for this track. This is an impressive mix of different styles of Doom/Stoner Metal that has a massive “world-building” flow to the track which is down to the Droned Out aspect of the track. The song has some of the best extended grooves on the album which leaves you on an almighty HIGH.
Fourth song Leave Me Be continues the same narrative as the previous song but the music is more darker and despairing. Owls & Eagles play heavier FUZZED up sounds where the volume has been AMPED up to ELEVEN. Perhaps the heaviest track on the album with the Hardcore Punk based vocals outlining the boisterous and aggressive lyrics the band have written for this track. The song effortlessly moves from a Punk Rock aesthetic to the transcendent style of Doom/Stoner Metal the band brilliantly use every step of the way for this album. The vocals are perhaps my favourite part of this track. As they bring the “LIGHT vs DARK” aspect to the album with first-rate storytelling which I didn’t expect at all.
The final three tracks Paralysis, Rebirth and Awakening is my favourite part of the album as Owls & Eagles become more daring with their ideas especially when they adopt a more Progressive style of music which gives the album a more dangerous feeling. More Ambient and Spaced Out themes are used for a bleaker style of music especially on Paralysis and Rebirth.
The final track Awakening offers brief glimpses of hope but the music always remains grounded in reality despite the wild lyrics that accompanies the whole creative journey of the track.
Patience Vol 1 is an absolute first rate album full of outlandish ideas that could only come from the Doom/Stoner Metal scene. Helped along by stunning production values, Owls & Eagles have struck gold with this release. The album features some of the best songwriting I’ve heard on a debut album in quite some time.
Don’t delay. Add this album to your record collection now. This is an awesome album. End Of.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Infecting Cells PR for the promo.
Patience Vol 1 is available to buy digitally now from all good stockists. Vinyl will be released soon via Moments Records.
Connect with Owls & Eagles:
http://www.facebook.com/Owlseaglesyyc
http://instagram.com/owlsneaglesyyc
https://owlsneagles.bandcamp.com/track/enlightenment
