PREMIERE: OBSERVIST // Atlas

For many, Observist may seem like the new kids on the block. Having only released two singles (both with high stream counts), as well as scoring support slots at sold out shows alongside Alpha Wolf and The Gloom In The Corner, the newcomers have been making a quick name for themselves. 

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Although it’s undoubtedly true that the Victorian based metal act are rapidly gaining fans and praise, they aren’t quite as new as it seems. For members Kye Blomeley and Chris Conroy, Observist has been a dream in the making for years. 

“My whole goal with this new era of Observist was to just not half ass anything anymore.” says the groups guitarist Kye Blomeley.

“For a long time I have just done things because I’ve done them. Now I’m at a point where I want to put the effort in and actually compete with those bigger bands.”

Reflecting on his new found inspiration towards his own music Kye continued,

“It’s kind of a relief.”

“I mean, I wrote Fragments 3 years ago and even then I knew it would be for an EP’s lead single but it just never felt like the right time to release it.”

“Now, it’s just at a point that it feels right to get it out and give it the recognition it deserves. It felt genuinely awesome putting it out. I’ve put months of my life into this EP so getting it out there and seeing a response is just unreal.”

With the EP in mention referring to the groups forthcoming release, From The Ashes; which saw Kye working as the producer for the release, as well as tracking most of the instruments alongside Chris. Speaking of the lengthy recording process … and what sounds like a nightmare of a time recruiting new band members, Kye said,

For a long time I have just done things because I’ve done them. Now I’m at a point where I want to put the effort in and actually compete with those bigger bands.
[ Kye Blomeley ]

“We didn’t want to release anything without having a full lineup.”

“Basically last year, half the members left our band. So Chris and I felt like it wasn’t the same band that it was previously, so we wanted to completely rebrand.”

“We had the drums tracked back in 2019 and then the drummer left. After spending all that time recording, we still wanted to use those drum tracks and not just throw them in the bin. So Chris and I tracked the rest of the EP and then simultaneously tried to find people who could join the band while we were doing that.”

With From The Ashes set for an independent release on June 4th, Observist have already been building a lot of hype. The release of the brutally heavy track Fragments saw metalheads and radio stations go into somewhat of a frenzy. Now, the group’s newest single release Atlas is striking a chord with more djent/melody-driven fans. 

“The reason we released both Fragments and Atlas is because we wanted to represent the whole EP. Fragments for the heavier and groovy parts and Atlas is more drawn out and spacious” affirms Kye. 

“We wanted to release singles that would represent both sides of the EP.”

When the conversation continued onto the song’s lyrical content; (the realisation of self worth), Kye said, “I didn’t have too much to do with the lyric writing, that was mainly all Chris. He has a good handle on a lot of things in the world. But I am also aware that a lot of the songs on this release were written about the band. Mainly about how we started in 2016 and where we are now and how different we are as people.”

“Thinking about it now, I guess that’s why the EP is called ‘From The Ashes” he laughs.

Pre-order and pre-save Observist’s From The Ashes here.