OWL KILL – Montville, NJ
I cannot believe these guys have not come across my plate in the past. They’re pretty good and from North Jersey. The name of the band is Owl Kill and they caught my attention when I heard their cover of 21 Pilot’s “Heathens.” It was basically dead on. I had to hear more, so I gave a listen to their songs “I’ll Race You There” and “Don’t Bring A Knife to a Gun Fight,” and they reminded me of The Used. I’m not saying they sounded exactly like them. They just reminded me of them.
According to their bio, Owl Kill was formed in late 2014 by lead singer Pat Byrnes, and guitarist, Greg Amato. Soon after realizing they wanted to work together, they enlisted bassist Fabricio “Breeze” Barreto and drummer Mike Gelvan to join their project, but they now they needed a name. The band took their name based on the fact that each member is from Montville, NJ, which was also known as “Owl-Kill” back in the 1800s right after the Revolutionary War. Owl Kill’s music is said to be influenced by a diverse range of band like Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance, Brand New, Guns N’ Roses, Led Zeppelin, and The Used, just naming a few. Being able to combine these influences with Pat’s strong lyrics and Greg’s delicious guitar licks, Owl Kill was able to put their own spin on the Rock genre.
The desire to connect with their fans on a personal and emotional level is what drives Owl Kill to create the music that they do. The band currently has two self-released EPs. Back in 2015, they released their first five-song EP, Self-Management, including the single, “Sell Me”, which the band filmed a music video for in May 2016. Owl Kill’s second EP, Home, was released in March 2016, and the band has been busy playing shows to promote Home ever since. In 2016, their hard work paid off when they won the “Ernie Ball PLAY Warped” competition, and as a result, they got to play main stage at the 2016 Vans Warped Tour at PNC in Holmdel. Talk about a lift for the band. Other than this big accomplishment, Owl Kill has also performed at notable venues like The Stone Pony and The Saint in Asbury Park, The Bitter End in NYC, Crossroads in Garwood, Mexicali Live in Teaneck, and Dingbatz in Clifton.
Owl Kills primary focus right now is to play as many shows as possible to connect with as many new fans as possible. You can actually connect with these cats next Friday (12/29), right before the New Year, as they return to Dingbatz with my peeps in Answer Infinity and Crimshaw, Back From Nothing and The Open Minds. Look for big things to happen for Owl Kills in 2018, as I expect to hear more from them in the coming year. For more on Owl Kill, visit OwlKill.com.
NORTH JERSEY NOTES UPDATES:
The boys from Ronin, featuring members from Scarlet Carson and Statik Silence, have decided to finally come off of their hiatus to open for Pop Evil at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ on Mar. 24. Just when you thought they were no more, it took Pop Evil to pull them back in. The members of Ronin have been off working on their own projects, so fans of Ronin can be sure to expect a highly energetic show. For more info on Ronin or for discounted tickets, visit Ronintickets.com.
Speaking of Scarlet Carson, former lead singer Santino Noir and former She Said Fire head honcho, Josh Hawksley’s other project, Crash the Night, have a new song on the way called “A Walk Through The Stars.” They recently posted a teaser video, and by the time of this printing the video might have even been released. Yes, these guys are based in L.A., but Santino is a Jersey boy and Josh and his brother are New Yorkers, and the band is really good! Check Crash The Night out, if you haven’t already, at Facebook.com/CrashTheNightBand.
And finally, the flame is still not out for my brothers in Sixty Miles Down. Singer and chief Sixty Miles Downer, John Mosco, recently released a song called “Adding Up The Losses,” which he says he’s been writing since 1996 after losing loved ones one after the other. The song is a great way to commemorate those he lost. It’s great to hear John’s voice on tape again, whether Sixty MD is back or not. Check out “Adding Up The Losses” on YouTube. For more on Sixty Miles Down, visit 60MD.com.
That’s all for now! Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Holiday! If your band is from North Jersey, and you want some exposure, send your press kits to Arts Weekly, c/o Tim Louie P.O. Box 1140, Little Falls, NJ 07424, or you can email me at tim@theaquarian.com, where you can also let me know where you’re performing next!
Just remember…We’re all in the same boat, so every little bit of exposure counts!
Tim Louie is the Author of S**t Happens.
NJN Concert Calendar:
12/22—“THAT METAL SHOW” Annual Holiday Bash featuring Headmotor “Motorhead Tribute”/Graffiti Cannon/Sister Salvation/Lunatic Fringe/Grounded4Life—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/22—Palisades/Blindwish/Ashes—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
12/22—Alden Street/LoveHandles/Dizaster—Crossroads, Garwood, NJ
12/27—Chrissie Limos/Liam Reyes/Seb Isaac/Arejay Ella/Justin Sullivan—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
12/28—Atomic Minds/Ami and the Amietttes/Shutter—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/29—Owl Kill/Answer Infinity/Crimshaw/Back From Nothing/The Open Minds—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
12/29—Bearin’ Peace/Jay Mickens/Shlomo Franklin—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
12/29—Palisades/In Our Glory/My Last Breath/Chasing Utopia—House of Independence, Asbury Park, NJ
12/30—Jaws-NJ/Hammer Fight/Negative Sky/Hot Blood/Dissentience/The Silverhounds/Metal Life Crisis—The Saint, Asbury Park, NJ
12/30—Royal Revolution/Fiakra—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/4—Monument of a Memory/Zoume/Refinement/Muerte/Nihilum/Charred Graves—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/5—Brianna Musco (Demo Release Party)/From The Concrete/Gina Royale/The Gray Vines/Silent Tides—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/5—Casual Friday/My Cruel Summer/White Lotus—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
1/6—Don Jamieson/Dusk/Incognito Theory/Blud Red Roses/Sunday Brave—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/7—Flaw/Fall To Rise—Dingbatz, Clifton, NJ
1/10—Iron Reagan/Despise You/Cemetery Piss/Left Cross/Dutchguts—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
1/27—Joe Lynn Turner—Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck, NJ
