Olathia is a four-piece Power/Thrash Metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. They add in Melodic and Traditional Metal with hints of Progressive Metal to craft a sound that is expansive and complex. They also like a challenge as you will notice from the cover song on the album, “Hall Of The Mountain King” by Savatage. This female-fronted band will blow you away with the sheer force of the music they write. Their bold choice for a cover track from 1987 by one of the (in my opinion) most underrated bands in Metal shows they are not afraid to push boundaries and test their abilities, an attribute I appreciate in a Metal band.

https://olathia.bandcamp.com

Band Members:

  • Chris E. – Vocals
  • Terry Johnson – Bass
  • Joe Lowrie – Drums
  • Dylan Andras – Guitar

November 17, 2023

Tracklist:

  1. Insatiable
  2. The Forest Witch
  3. Shotgun
  4. Fight
  5. Who’s The Devil
  6. Last Breath
  7. Satan On My Mind
  8. Hall Of The Mountain King (Savatage Cover)

The opening of the album immediately makes me want more. The way they stomp in and take control of the sound space is just badass. “Insatiable” has all the hallmarks of a great Metal song; fast drumming, thundering bass, layers of guitars that drive hard, and a voice that goes from gritty to belting. The way the instruments shift in and out, weaving around each other, hooks me. Dylan and Terry work so well together, feeding off each other and crafting a massive, down-tuned tone while Joe demolishes the skins. All of this builds a killer foundation for Chris to growl and scream over.

Moving on to “The Forest Witch,” we hear the band use different tempos and time signatures to craft a more Progressive Metal style song that has a guitar solo and drum layer that is worthy of the title Speed Metal. Again, Chris proves she has one of the better ranges in Metal by traversing through multiple vocal styles and techniques. Then, “Shotgun” gives us more of a Hard Rock sound, evoking the 80s and bringing to mind songs about how rock and roll is a way of life, not just a job. This one makes me want to raise a Bic lighter in the air and add to the light show. The spoken word gives me some serious “Hot For Teacher” vibes which brings a wicked smile to my face.

I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the cover tune Olathia has chosen. First off, I’m a long-time Savatage fan, and “Hall Of The Mountain King” was one of the first songs I fell in love with. I truly appreciate this version of the song. The tone and tempo stay very close to the original despite it being a live track. Chris puts her own spin on some of the Jon Oliva wails and screams but stays relatively accurate on the lyrical portions. I love this version of the song and have even heard another cover they did for a different Savatage song (“Believe”). I’d pay just to see Olathia do an entire Savatage tribute set.

I cannot state loudly enough that I think Joe is an amazing drummer. The way he shifts in and out of blast beats and varies the patterns to help guide each song through its’ paces. I feel like he fits into the elite drummer category based on taking most of a play through just to listen to what he is capable of doing. That dude freaking slays. This is not to take anything away from any of the other musicians. All of them are outstanding and deserve recognition for their contributions to the record. Chris is far and away one of the most talented singers performing today. Her ability to growl, belt, scream, screech, and wail, all within a few lines, is heavenly.

The way Dylan layers his guitar work, the heavy riffing under the intricate lead and fill work, the shredding solo work, all of it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling in my guitar-loving brain. I even tried some air guitars for fun. I was done half a song in as my hand was already cramping up. Finally, Terry provides stability for the riff, laying down a rhythm that allows everyone else to spin out of control whenever they feel like it. He will always be there, holding the line. If you couldn’t tell, I’ve taken a great liking to this band.

MZ Ratings:

Musicianship:

  •             Guitars – 10
  •             Rhythms – 10
  •             Vocals – 10
  • Songwriting – 10
  • Production – 9

Overall – 9.80