Interview Owdwyr

 Join us for an insightful interview with OWDWYR as they delve into the origins of their unique fusion of Tech Death, Prog, Grind, and Classical elements, the inspiration behind their ambitious album 'Receptor,' and the challenges and opportunities in today's music industry landscape.

1.Can you tell us about the origins of OWDWYR and how the band's unique fusion of Tech Death, Prog, Grind, and Classical elements came about?

PAUL: The true origin of OWDWYR goes back almost 12 years ago when Max and I were in a band called Isyou playing in the tri-state (NY-NJ-PA) scene. It was a bit of a cult success, but imploded as band members grew apart, and I sold my soul to the corporate world. However, the spirit of my musical ambitions endured, and Max & I kept in touch over all those years, passively planning a new musical project. OWDWYR really came to be at the beginning of the pandemic, as I had written 15 songs over the preceding decade+, and I had finally gotten serious about formalizing that under a new band.

In regards to the unique fusion of the band's sound - that really comes from my diverse array of influences. I worship at the altar of so many bands, artists and composers, that they all force their way into my writing style. To be specific, I love the savagery of Grind, the epicness of Prog, the virtuosity of Tech Death, and the harmonic dynamics of Classical. Those elements truly inform our sound.

MAX: I’ve always been drawn to my favorite DM vocalists: George from Cannibal Corpse, Mikael from Opeth/Bloodbath, Erik from Hate Eternal, Travis from Cattle Decap (it was actually Glen Benton’s performance on Vital Remains’ “Dechristianize” that sealed the deal for me). I’ve put a ton of time into elevating clarity in my performance, which has led to the development of a sort of cleanish “tonal center” for my normal vocal style. I leaned into the clarity approach as hard as I could for the majority of this record, which felt like a natural fit within the context of the rest of the instrumentation.

2.Receptor, your debut album, is an ambitious project with 15 tracks. What was the inspiration behind this extensive musical journey, and what themes or ideas does it explore?

PAUL: I can speak more to the music as the compositions were my responsibility and the concepts and lyrics were Max’s. Outside of all of my musical influences, I really loved the idea of a concept album, because some of my favorite albums used that construct. It was important to me that we devised something of real substance that cemented a legacy of sorts. I’ve long believed that if I died, this album would be one of the most important things I left behind - and so I wanted to write serious music for discerning listeners.

The song order was one of the most important decisions, because many of the writing styles for each composition were completely different. I never want the listener to get too comfortable, and especially never bored. And so I put a lot of thought into a collection of songs that created different emotions, and to create a set of sonic palettes that would bring the best out of Max (both vocally and lyrically).

MAX:  Paul and I had some pretty extensive discussions about the concepts and themes running through the album. I spent a ton of time developing ideas only to immediately bin them, so the writing process took me a long time (I was also finishing my bachelor degree, so creative writing and academic writing would sort of work against each other some days). We agreed that we wanted to keep the concept sort of realistic, referencing real-world themes that would resonate with our audience and of course ourselves. We finally landed on a sort of sci-fi-lite theme born from a short story I wrote as a starting point. The core concept is something we’d like to explore with our audience over time, so rather than go big picture I’ll give a few themes that make appearances over the album: grief, grifters, greed, blind faith, and making sense of something wildly bigger than one can comprehend.

3.OWDWYR's lineup includes some exceptionally talented musicians from the modern metal scene. How did you manage to collaborate with artists like Navene Koperweis, Kenny Grohowski, Kevin Paradis, and Alex Cohen on the album?

PAUL: The simple answer is that I asked, haha. But there was a bit of strategic timing at play as the pandemic all of a sudden freed up the bandwidth of spectacularly talented people, given no one was able to tour. I just tried to write the absolute best pitch email I could and then prayed they liked the demo tracks enough to participate. Luckily that all worked out, because I steadfastly believe that a drummer is one of the key ingredients in a great metal band, and luckily we were absolutely spoiled on this album. Seriously, I admire these drummers so, so much.

MAX: As a drummer myself, I’m still in shock that I’m anywhere near being on recordings with these guys. They’ve played on plenty of my favorite recent releases and on several necessary albums from my formative years of being a metal fan. I’m thrilled they agreed to participate and brought their personal flavor to make the album sonically varied and engaging.

4.The range of influences on Receptor spans from extreme metal bands like Car Bomb and Fleshgod Apocalypse to classical composers like J.S. Bach and Heitor Villa-Lobos. How did you balance and incorporate such diverse inspirations into your music?

PAUL: One of the primary components of my songwriting style is dynamics. This is probably where my influences become most evident. So many metal bands (and bands in general) pick a sound and then absolutely beat it to death. Now, there is definitely a benefit to that. If a listener likes that sound, and wants more of it, they know what to expect, and won’t be disappointed. Bands that lean into dynamics take the risk that the places they explore will sometimes put up walls between them and the casual listener who are looking for a simple formula.

For me, I just can’t seem to force myself to write very simply. At the beginning of creating this album, I had a more uncomplicated brief where I just wanted to write 10 straight ahead and brutal grind songs - and you will hear some of the remnants of that on the album. But over time, I got bored, and just had to inject all of these other styles in. However, I tried very much to consider the balance and flow of songs, which is something I’ve prioritized much more as I’ve matured as a songwriter. When I was younger I cared mostly about virtuosity. But now, while I want the songs to be diverse, I don’t want them to be jagged and thoughtlessly assembled.

This description I wrote to the musicians we collaborated with sums it up well: “My goal is to create a really dynamic metal album that crosses subgenres without getting goofy. I'm trying to achieve a balance so that the album doesn't get monotonous quickly. As a credo: when things get too fast for too long, slow them down; too dissonant, transition to consonant melody & harmony; too djenty, more death metal, too pompous, strip back, simplify and grind the fuck out.”

5.Can you share some insights into the songwriting process for Receptor? How do you go about creating such intricate and complex compositions?

PAUL: Most songs actually start in my head, and are either serendipitous or influenced from something in my environment. From there two things have really been a game changer for me when it comes to the writing process. One is learning music theory, and the other is Guitar Pro. In my younger years I used to have to sit for hours showing people riffs, which is especially challenging and tedious in technical bands. Music Theory gave me a type of “language & literacy” I could use to express my ideas, and Guitar Pro became the vessel through which I could communicate them.

This was essential in OWDWYR, because no one in the band is co-located, and so they’d have to learn and perform the songs hundreds or thousands of miles from each other.

6.Your guitarist and composer, Paul Plumeri, Jr., has previously been associated with the band Isyou. How has his experience contributed to the evolution of OWDWYR's sound?

PAUL: Isyou was the band that helped me find my distinct voice as a songwriter. OWDWYR has been the catalyst for me to refine that voice.

7.Max Lichtman, your vocalist, has also been a part of Immolith. How does his vocal style and background bring a unique dimension to OWDWYR's music?

PAUL: Max was actually the drummer of Immolith, but I think part of what makes Max a great vocalist is his understanding of rhythm. This really plays into his phrasing. But further, Max also understands music theory, which allows us to communicate better.

MAX: It really helps that I’ve been familiar with Paul’s background and writing style for a while. Being able to satisfy both of us with my writing and performance is really important, and being that we’re only able to record remotely, it means there is far less time available for workshopping finishing touches (until I finish building up my own little home studio). Paul’s comfort with me taking risks and experimenting outside of my comfort zone has developed into a trust that my performance will be for the benefit of the song as a whole. The songs on this album are some of the most important works that he’s crafted, and I’m honored to have been trusted enough to contribute as heavily as I have.

8.The album's description mentions "blistering blastbeats, intricate harmonic counterpoint, and ferocious vocals." How do you ensure that these elements coalesce seamlessly in your music without overwhelming each other?

PAUL: This is really where maturity as a composer comes in. You need to know when to throttle up and throttle back, or everything just gets shrill. It’s important to manage consonance and dissonance in a way that doesn’t get in the way of a song’s flow. Though to some listeners, they might feel we’ve failed in this endeavor! It is a challenge to be sure, but we’ve tried to have a really mindful approach across the album so that the listener is challenged enough to be engaged, but not so overwhelmed the experience becomes abrasive.

MAX: I agree - I think that, in metal especially, it takes VERY close attention to detail and genre knowledge for a composer to be able to satisfactorily coalesce extreme elements in an engaging and thoughtful way. We hope that our work challenges listeners in an endearing fashion that welcomes deeper listening rather than feelings of alienation.

9.With so many layers and technical intricacies in your music, how do you approach the live performance aspect? What can fans expect from an OWDWYR live show?

PAUL: Alas, OWDWYR is not currently a live band. Part of the challenge is that I’m based in San Francisco, Max in Tennessee, and Chris in Jersey, and we don’t have a live drummer. So the logistics of practice would be really tough. Apart from that, the economics of touring are really challenged right now, so the whole thing is a lot to overcome. With that said, I’d love for us to get to a place where we could do mini-tours, or a once-a-year residency at St. Vitus in Brooklyn (my favorite venue). If people dig the album, and request live performances, that will definitely motivate us.

MAX: It’s tough to say what the future will hold for us as a live act, but I feel that this music definitely deserves to be performed and would love to when possible. I also love St. Vitus - it’s one of the best!

10.The cover art for Receptor is visually striking and seems to reflect the intensity of your music. Can you share the story or concept behind the album's artwork?

MAX: Our artist Garek Druss really knocked it out of the park with the album art for Receptor. Each little panel is a mix of imagery pulled directly from the lyrics or an interpretation of their

abstraction. Since Receptor’s lyrical concept centers around different perspectives of a single

event, the art begins at the core of an eye, (literally) branching out to touch upon individual

shards that are mostly separated but sometimes overlap. It was tough for us to imagine how we

could represent the amalgamation of such a diverse blend of genres within one image, but Garek brought it all together with incredibly evocative detail. Slugs, coins, hands on fire, crossed

swords – there’s a lot going on in there! Have a listen to Receptor while checking out the album

art; can you figure out where each shard comes from?

 

11.In the realm of extreme metal, lyrics often explore complex themes. What are some of the lyrical themes that listeners can find on Receptor?

MAX: I mentioned earlier some of the themes on the album, but the overarching theme is the attempt to understand something well outside of comprehension - something I once described as “knowledge as trauma.” How does a person understand something that affects them and the world around them without the tools to create a path toward comprehension? The lyrics explore how individuals or groups develop meaning via their own biased conclusions or those of bad-faith actors with grim ulterior motives, making the album a collection of separate perspectives of a single event.

12.As a band that's pushing the boundaries of extreme metal, what challenges and opportunities do you see in the current music industry landscape?

PAUL: Unfortunately, I think the challenges outnumber the opportunities, but let me start with the positive aspects. It has never been easier to produce and distribute your own music, especially at a higher quality. It used to be about cranking out shitty sounding demos/EPs, and burning CDs and slapping stickers on them. That whole process has improved a great deal - and all of the software and virtual instruments available has made music creation an absolute dream.

The financial aspects of extreme metal might never make sense for most. Only the biggest bands come out with some degree of profit, and even in those cases, it is far less than you think. Between the venues asking for merch cuts, platforms with awful profit sharing, and the fact that your audience will be incredibly niche - as a business, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. At the end of the day, the whole thing really needs to be fueled by the passion to create, and the hope that a group of people out there appreciate those creations.

13.OWDWYR seems to be a project that thrives on pushing musical boundaries. What can fans expect in terms of future releases or musical directions?

PAUL: I’d like for our next album to be a bit tighter - probably 10 songs clocking in at around 30 minutes. 15 felt like A LOT to write, perform, produce, etc. As far as our sound, we will probably stick to the script, especially because that script is grounded in controlled exploration, which gives us a lot of flexibility. I have a handful of songs already written, but will not return to them until I feel like we’ve squeezed all the juice from this current album.

In the interim I’d like to release a more prog, less metal EP I’ve been working on for a while. We also might release a few instrumental versions of the songs on Receptor.

MAX: Working on this album inspired me to continue pushing my own boundaries and taking inspiration from other formative music and art. We’d be coming from a much more educated place in terms of remote cooperation, which I feel will result in an even more streamlined and unified end result. I consider this band to be a sort of “no stone unturned” type of project that champions experimentation without losing sight of its roots.

14.Finally, can you share a memorable moment or anecdote from the making of Receptor that encapsulates the essence of the album or the band's journey so far?

PAUL: Given we created the entire album while not being in the same physical space, when Max, Chris and I finally united in New Jersey to take a band picture, it was awesome. We then went to Philly to see our buddies in Cognitive, as well as Imperial Triumphant (Kenny, their drummer, played on the album). Just spending time together, eating, drinking, and being merry helped cement that we like each other as people in addition to respecting each other as musicians.

One other moment worth mentioning is when we got the masters back. A part of me always asks, “Is what I’m doing good?” I set really high standards for myself and I was worried many times throughout the process of creating the album that we wouldn’t hit the bar I had idealized. It wasn’t until I got the masters that I felt we had. There are still a few tweaks I wish I could go back and make, but on the whole, I am satisfied (for now).

MAX: My first thought was also when we took a band photo, but for slightly different reasons. I am originally from New Jersey and moved to Tennessee a little over five years ago. I hadn’t been able to make it back home to visit in basically that five year span due to health complications, being a student, and then COVID shutting everything down. It was a huge deal for me to be back in my home state, and being around family and friends that I hadn’t seen for five years or more, including Paul and Chris, was emotionally heavy. The photo shoot we had together was effectively the last major puzzle piece leading to the album’s completion, as we could finally start to move toward promotion and everything else. After working on this project for so many years, knowing that we had reached its summit was incredible.

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https://owdwyr.bandcamp.com/album/receptor