OWL (Feaster From The Stars / Stone Loner) 7"
I was introduced to OWL by Hazzard's Cure drummer Clint Baechle, because OWL is just one of many bands in which he is involved. This 7" has been released at the beginning of 2012 and offers two tracks which are heavily influenced by 1970's hard rock and vintage heavy metal (preferably from the UK). 'Feaster From The Stars' kicks off with some acoustic guitars until the point at which the twin guitars come into play. It soon became obvious that the voice of guitarist Alex Baechle is the weak point of this track. In my opinion he lacks charisma and power. Apart from that, OWL strive for variety with the aid of abovementioned acoustic guitars and well-thought-out structures. Sometimes the song gets darker to then make again space for some lighter moments.
On the flipside we find 'Stone Loner', which pleases me at first attempt substantially better than 'Feaster From The Stars'. Even the vocals fit much better into the larger picture. In addition, OWL increase the speed and blur the lines between 1970's punk rock and classic heavy metal, but the latter retains the upper hand. The hooks caught my attention and I wouldn't have anything against a third track in the same vein. In the meantime OWL released their first album with which they have done a huge step forward. This 7" is certainly no sensation but perhaps a nice addition for collectors of obscure U.S. hard rock and metal.
(KK)