Bremen's Stony Hard Rockers Okolyt Release "Restless" EP
Okolyt is a rock band from Bremen that combines elements of stoner and psychedelic rock to create their own brand of "old school" hard rock. In a nutshell, Okolyt specializes in what they call "stony hard rock", caught somewhere between stoner and hard rock, which is a pretty cool place to be.
I first happened upon Okolyt in late 2023 while down a Spotify rabbit role. I was quickly caught up in the band's infectious tunes and decided to make them one of the first bands that I featured on this blog. Before that could happen, Okolyt announced that new music was in the works for 2024, so I decided to wait. My patience was rewarded on the morning of June 4, 2024 when I woke up to find their new EP, Restless, on Spotify. I giddily threw my headphones on right away and set about making a cup of coffee while I listened to the first track... Much dancing around my kitchen ensued and I forgot about the coffee for a while. (Perhaps Okolyt > coffee?) Now that I've had a chance to give the rest of this awesome EP a listen, let's dig into it track-by-track:
Restless
1. They Ain't Got No Right
This aforementioned lead track really hooks you with some ragged bass, booming percussion, and chanting vocals. The guitar is alternatively bright and crunchy. There are many starts and stops in the first half of the song; you can hear and feel it itching to take off. A bass solo break in the middle leads into some breakthrough old school hard rock lead guitar that had me hissing, "Yessssss" out loud as I listened. However, just when I thought I knew where this song was headed, the band changes direction completely. At this point, Okolyt takes things into a new realm with a high energy, spacey, stoner/psych jam fest complete with wailing lead guitar that just won't quit. Even though this song has a super groovy sound, its lyrics focus on some of the political injustices that are occurring in our world, making it a super groovy song with a deeper meaning. This is sure to be a gem when played live, and it's a fabulous showcase of the band's skill set.
2. The Bad Batch
The commingling of stoner/doom and hard rock are very apparent on The Bad Batch. An aspect of this song that I found to be very clever is the last note of the opening riff. Until that last note, you'd think that you're listening to a rather upbeat song, but that last note has a very different sound, like a warning, giving it a "something wicked this way comes" vibe. The pace of this track moves at a bit of a trudge for the most part, and this combined with some Sabbathian guitar, it gives the song an awesome doom sound.
3. The Evil
The Evil starts with some heavy, wicked bass and soaring lead guitar. They seem to face off - the guitar trying to take off while the bass continuously pulls it back. This has the feel of a power struggle between good and evil, darkness and light. After the first verse and a pickup in pace, they begin to dance together a little more harmoniously, but there's still a dark, almost mournful undertone present. Lyrically, this aptly named song is about falling for an evil temptress:
"I fell in love at the first sight
She had the evil on her mind"
Don't you hate it when that happens?
I'm also loving the haunting vocal harmonies on The Evil, which really enhance the theme at hand.
4. 782
This song begins with a combination of heavy, thumping bass and cautious lead guitar that, together, create an apprehensive mood. More of those great vocal harmonies carry the track through to some killer, wailing lead guitar work, but 782 ultimately ends on a melancholy note. This is a song that's very smooth, for lack of a better word; easy to get lost in with more of a hard rock sound, but it's made quite emotive by the sorrowful tone that's present. All of these characteristics together create a very powerful song.
5. Heartbreak Hotel
Heartbreak Hotel, to my ears, has the most "old school" hard rock vibe on the entire EP, transporting the listener back to the late 70s/early 80s. The song is essentially about drowning one's sorrows, which you wouldn't immediately pick up on with the high voltage guitar work at hand here. The chorus, however, does have that "drinking song" sound to it in the coolest way; definitely something to sing along to!
Final Thoughts
First off, "stony hard rock" is a very accurate descriptor of what Okolyt is doing here. The hard rock factor is executed beautifully by the lead guitar for the most part, reminiscent of bands of decades past. Conversely, the ultra-low, raggedy, prominent bass is a near-constant reminder of Okolyt's stoner/doom influences. The drums are incredibly adaptable to both of these sides of the band. As hinted at earlier, the contrast between the bass and guitar reminds me of a battle between good and evil. Overall, this gives Restless a backbone of hard rock with an ever-present darkness lurking about...be it something evil, sinister, or a melancholy feeling or mood.
This five-track EP is jam packed with a ton of great variety in a relatively small amount of material. You have your stoner rock, classic hard rock, doom, a fair amount of psychedelic rock, even some hints of proto metal. Most importantly, Restless is, to be blunt, a damn good time. It's so much fun to listen to, the songs are never predictable and are insanely infectious. Not only that, but the creativity and musical aptitude of the band is palpable. Job mind-bogglingly well done, Okolyt! I'm so glad I waited for Restless.
Restless is available on Spotify and Bandcamp!
More About Okolyt
Okolyt is:
Marco - Bass, Synth, Keys, Backing Vocals
Florian - Guitar, Vocals
Thomas - Drums, Pads
You can follow Okolyt/listen to their music at the following links:
Be sure to follow Okolyt on social media for updates about upcoming live shows!
You know what to do: go out there and show Okolyt some much-deserved love!
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