Otis the Destroyer

Riding the fuzz-fueled wave of momentum generated by 2017 debut full-length Keep Bashing, Austin rock quartet Otis the Destroyer’s sonic assault swells to a veritable tsunami on the Cool Evil EP (self-released April 12).

Lead single “Red Witch” reveals Taylor Wilkins (vocals, guitar), Clellan Hyatt (drums), Anthony Rucci (guitar), and Andrew Dalton (bass) reveling in the earworms of previous releases while assuming a newfound yet no less raucous approach to experimentation which permeates the record’s five tracks.

Make no mistake: the band’s love affair with fuzz is far from over. In fact, it’s rekindled riotously by flirtations with super-charged shoegaze (“Cool Evil Part 1”), forays into reverb-washed rollick recalling My Bloody Valentine’s wall-of-sound wallop (“Cool Evil Part 2”), and searing solos inspired by ‘90s titans like Smashing Pumpkins paired with Fugazi-inspired punk-rock punch (“Maybe I Don’t Like Drugs”). Each song embodies an urgent release of rage directed toward the evil of entitlement simultaneously ensnarling our nation and local communities, and at times, one’s own sense of self; sonic dips into atmospheric instrumentals are deft diversions before final, cacophonous crescendos, leaving the listener reeling in the aftershock of red-letter-riff-laden rapture.

All songs were recorded and mixed by Stuart Sikes (Cat Power, Loretta Lynn, Sweet Spirit) at Big Orange Studios and mastered by Erik Wofford (Molly Burch, the Black Angels) at Cacophony Recorders, except for “Sour Tsunami,” recorded by Charles Godfrey (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Swans) at Mosaic Sound Collective.