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California’s DAWN OF OUROBOROS have been quietly yet steadily building their presence across the progressive and extreme metal underground. Now, with the release of their third full-length Bioluminescence, the band are stepping into a new chapter, one defined by a potent blend of atmospheric textures and crushing heaviness.
“The reaction’s been substantial compared to our previous albums,” guitarist and songwriter Tony Thomas reflects. “There’s definitely been more excitement and attention on the music and its individuality, which I find really exciting.” That excitement is palpable, not just from the fans, but within the band itself. “With each album, we really try to approach it like no one’s listening,” Tony continues. “We’re just making music that we enjoy ourselves, doing things like experimenting with odd time signatures or unusual chord progressions, and ultimately creating something we’re proud of.”
That sense of unfiltered creativity has been key to the DAWN OF OUROBOROS sound – a collision of shimmering ethereality and dark, chaotic heaviness in the same vein as Bay Area countrymen FALLUJAH but remains unmistakably their own. It’s a contrast that vocalist Chelsea Murphy embraces wholeheartedly. “That light and dark dynamic has always been important to us,” she explains. “It’s something we explore naturally in our writing, whether it’s the heaviness of the riffs or the softness of the vocals. It’s just what comes out when we create together.”
Chelsea’s vocal approach in particular has become a defining characteristic of the band’s sound. “For this record, a lot of the vocals were written in the studio,” she reveals. “I do some pre-writing, but I like leaving space for improv, to feel it out in the moment and see what happens. It’s a really freeing process for me.” One standout moment on Bioluminescence came from an unexpected source: “The quiet part in Poseidon’s Hymn? That was me singing to my cat – his name is Poseidon – while he lay in my arms. It was so spontaneous and intimate, and I think you can feel that in the song.”
Bioluminescence itself is steeped in imagery of the ocean, it’s beauty, its mystery, and its menace. “I’d always wanted to experience bioluminescent waters, and I finally had the chance last year, kayaking at night in the Pacific Northwest,” Chelsea shares. “It was such an ethereal experience, the contrast between the light and the darkness. That contrast really inspired the album’s concept, and it fit so perfectly with the themes we were exploring musically.”
This blend of thematic inspiration and sonic exploration led the band to seek out the right collaborators to capture their vision. Enter Lewis Jones, a UK-based mixing engineer whose clarity and power stood out to the band. “I kept hearing records I liked the sound of and realised Lewis had mixed them,” Tony recalls. “It just felt like the right fit, he could bring out that wall-of-sound effect but keep everything clear and punchy.”
For Bioluminescence, DAWN OF OUROBOROS opted to continue their DIY ethos, self-recording much of the material while working remotely with Jones and mastering engineer Grant Barry. It’s a model they plan to stick with moving forward. “It gives us so much more control over the sound,” Tony says. “We’ll keep self-recording as much as we can, then collaborate with Lewis for mixing. It’s a setup that works really well for us.”
Looking ahead, DAWN OF OUROBOROS are eager to take their music on the road. “We love touring, it’s a huge part of what we do,” Tony confirms. “We’re hoping to support Bioluminescence with as much touring as possible, and we’d love to finally make it over to Europe.” But with the rising costs of touring and the challenges of breaking into new territories, the band are biding their time for the right opportunity. “It’s all about the right package,” Chelsea says. “We’re ready when the time is right.”
Meanwhile, the creative fire continues to burn. “We’re always writing,” Tony adds. “Even before the last album came out, we were working on ideas. Some of them might not see the light of day, but it’s important to keep creating. And who knows, maybe something we shelve now will inspire us later.”
In a world where bands are expected to be content creators as much as musicians, DAWN OF OUROBOROS are fully aware of the grind. “It’s an always-on approach,” Tony acknowledges. “If you want to stay visible and keep momentum, you have to keep creating, whether that’s new music, playthroughs, or anything else.” But at the heart of it all, it’s the music that matters most. “We wouldn’t rush anything,” Tony concludes. “It’s about making sure the music is the best it can be. That’s the priority.”
Bioluminescence is out now via Prosthetic Records. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS121 here:
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The post Dawn Of Ouroboros: The Duel of Dark and Light appeared first on Distorted Sound Magazine.
