Review: “Receptor” by OWDWYR

The story goes that back in 2020, tired of the way things were going and not overly convinced of the benefits of robbing a liquor store, guitarist and composer Paul Plumeri, Jr. (ex-Isyou), bassist Chris Williams (Dark Waters Fall) and vocalist Max Lichtman (ex-Immolith) joined forces with the idea of creating something extreme. Taking their wide ranging influences, including but by no means limited to Car Bomb, Fleshgod Apocalypse and J.S. Bach, the trio entered the rehearsal space only to exit with a convergence of Technical Death Metal, Progressive Death Metal and Grindcore framed around a classical core. Not having recruited a drummer, they chose to bring in four guests for the purpose in Navene Koperweis (Entheos, ex-Animals as Leaders), Kenny Grohowski (Imperial Triumphant, John Zorn), Kevin Paradis (Ne Obliviscaris, Benighted) and Alex Cohen (Contrarian, ex-Pyrrhon) while leaning on Frank Albanese for additional vocals, Ed RosenBerg III for saxophone and Sydney Kjerstad for piano. Mastered by Alan Douches (Dillinger Escape Plan, Cannibal Corpse, Municipal Waste) at West West Side Music, together they have created “Receptor“…

…The spine tingling chill of an 80’s science fiction horror film, the calm before the storm, is created with “Praefatio“, an opening of warmth that is shattered into a million pieces by the ferocity of “The Liminal Carapace“. A brutal endeavour that keeps the synths in place while building an atmosphere both dark and foreboding, this one feels like a creation conjured by Steffen Kummerer and Devin Townsend, the result of the pair being trapped in a prison cell for hours on end. The blood continues to flow with “Ripped from The Bog“, a cut which harnesses the power of it’s predecessor and injects adrenaline to give us something more chaotically turbulent, a piece of art that hits each one of the bands desired compositional styles in one single entity with mesmerising results. On paper this should sound like utter bedlam and while the reality is something that has more twists and turns than a page turning psychological horror novel, it’s a hold onto your hat white knuckle thrill ride that beggars belief. “Stench of Indemnity” sounds like something carved from the same bone as “City” by Strapping Young Lad, a shitstorm of violent aggression that breaks out into some almost DJent fuelled riffs only to rattle back around in a giant circle while the vultures overhead watch on. Offering no breathing space “Lagos” thunders in with Max Lichtman’s soul splitting unclean vocals the only thing of consistency in a storm of Death Metal riffs that fly off in all directions like a meteor shower. The space age synths provide fleeting warmth that allows the Buzzsaw guitars to go all out destroy…

…”Ein” is the longest of these sonic creations and finds Sydney Kjerstad providing a piano introduction before the restless and relentless kit work from Kevin Paradis provides the spine to be shanked by the frantic and frenetic riffs of Paul Plumeri Jr. A master in disguise, he deserves a lot of credit for having not only the vision to create a challenging and rewarding listen of this nature but also following that vision through. There are so many nuances here that each repeated listen throws something new at the cerebral cortex, burning from all angles and blowing the mind in the process. The beauty of it is that there isn’t too much data to process that you feel overwhelmed but instead are left in a state of wonder. How is this possible? It shouldn’t be and yet here it is to observe. 53 seconds of Deathgrind in “Writhe” could actually feel unfinished but instead tears you limb from limb with a single violent verse before the blunt force trauma of “Supplicant” brings the staccato riff break infestations to crack the skull. Why not have a little something that sounds like it belongs on the Blade Runner soundtrack? “Reverie” does exactly that while building riffs upon the synths to create something of unruly epic majesty. The extremes then push out in the opposite direction with “Cower“, a violent delight that feels like being shocked by an electric fence designed to keep the Dinosaurs in Jurassic Park before Ed RosenBerg III brings out a flourish of saxophone. What’s both amusing and amazing is that it all fits together like a glove on the hand of a serial killer…

…The sense of epic majesty returns with “A Vessel Emerges“, a cut which offers up a darkly cinematic texture while still being a rampage through Death Metal with a face melting solo. You couldn’t make it up. A violent twist in the tail comes with “Not Afraid“, which initially disorientates with the feeling that you’ve been zapped into another record. That skin is gradually shed as OWDWYR climb from the mire with two contrasting vocal layers, the heavier guitar work ripping through the Thrashier ones like they weren’t fit for purpose and by the end of the 165 second onslaught, its as if the opening 25 seconds didn’t exist. “Pitchtongue Vesper” then drags you kicking and screaming through a hedge backwards, it’s menacing and sinister violence a pleasure you can’t measure. Spine juddering riffs flow through the heart of “Catalyst Sequence” with hints of influence from 90’s Death Metal while jazzing things up with a little synth for good measure. It has to be said that all the percussive battery on this record is stunning but this particular accomplishment from Navene Koperweis deserves a special mention simply because it has the feel of being created in a Jam session and the fills are immense. “The Sputteing Torch” brings down the bloodstained curtain, an adaption of “Torch” written by Brian Lawlor that sounds… just as dark and destructive as the rest of this monster! [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Praefatio
2. The Liminal Carapace
3. Ripped from The Bog
4. Stench of Indemnity
5. Lagos
6. Ein
7. Writhe
8. Supplicant
9. Reverie
10. Cower
11. A Vessel Emerges
12 Not Afraid
13. Pitchtongue Vesper
14. Catalyst Sequence
15. The Sputtering Torch

“Receptor” by OWDWYR is out 20th October 2023 with pre-orders available over at bandcamp.