Originally forming from the rhythm section of the cult legendary stoner band, SLEEP, OM is not your stereotypical rock band.
They draw influences from all kinds of religious experiences, Tibetan chants, Gospel and prayer, and combine them with some of the heaviest and loudest riffs you are likely to ever subject yourself to.
All the while, they use minimal instrumentation, and then deliver it all on a silver platter of a droney, sludgey experimental avant garde orchestra. It may not make sense until you hear it, but once you do, the influences are clear.
Opening with the haunting Sinai of their latest album, Advaitic Songs, the tone was set and the hypnotic basslines of singer Al Cisneros rang right through the body, vibrating and rearranging the internal organs of all in attendance.
Volume levels of this nature possibly haven’t been experienced since SUNN O))) played the Hi-Fi in 2007. It was ear damaging and quite uncomfortable but how could you pull yourself away from such a show?
‘Meditation Is The Practice Of Death’ may seem like a mellow jam on record but in the live context, it’s a whole new thing entirely. Percussionist, guitarist and keyboard player, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, added a whole new dimension to each song, banging tambourines, hitting the odd guitar strings and the addition of gospel vocals really brought the music to a whole new dimension.
The band played seven songs in total which may not sound like much but when your set is 90 minutes long and your shortest song is around the 10 minute mark, that’s not a bad effort.
As for lighting, the mood was set with a nice blue tone capturing the dark nature of the music. This must have been a nightmare for photographers but you wouldn’t want to see or experience an OM show any other way.
Simply put, OM are unlike any other band you will ever experience in your life. Relying on minimal vocals, a thunderous bass sound and a collection of unique instrumentation, the trio have managed to find a formula that sits nicely together as each tune moves along to the solid sounds of Emil Amos’ tribal drum beats. It’s an interesting mix that had people appear hypnotised and stunned like a deer in headlights. No matter how hard they tried, the punters couldn’t pull themselves away from the overwhelming experience.
OM are a band one needs to experience in person to fully appreciate the technicalities of what is happening here. Just remember to take earplugs.
