OM for indo/raga rock

While not strictly Indian, as OM also uses middle eastern/Islamic themes and composition, as well as some Orthodox Christian and generally Judeo-Christian iconography in a refined sound, presentation, and appearance, the foundation of this artist, evidenced by their name "OM," is from the droning that makes raga rock what it is. The band is also not religious in a strict sense, but their while thing is spirituality from across the world, and their meditative sound fits in better with raga rock than with other psych rock bands. If their sound is too beyond traditional raga rock for them to be satisfactory there, psychedelic/space rock could work here, as well experimental/post metal, though I wouldn't necessarily agree with the latter as much.

The focus here for the progarchives is on their two more recent albums, Advaitic Songs and God is Good - these are their more progressive-sounding albums, that should make them a candidate for the site.

OM, formed in 2003, is the brainchild of stoner doom band Sleep bassist Al Cisneros, and began as a duo consisting of him and Sleep drummer Chris Hakius. Known for their droning meditative and mystical sound OM has explored global spirituality, incorporating aural and visual representations of religious and spiritual concepts from all over world, though they are most notable for their fascination of Hindu, Islamic, and Judeo-Christian themes, taking the listener on a "celestial journey."

Emil Amos replaced Chris as OM's drummer in 2008. In 2009, Robert Lowe joined as the band's guitarist, and Tyler Trotter replaced him in 2018, and thus the band is now a trio. The band is known for their extended jams and long-form improvisation during live shows. In 2007, they famously performed at a bar in Jerusalem for over five hours. According to Al Cisneros, they were in a "different space" after visiting the Jerusalem holy sites.

OM started out as a stoner doom band, featuring elements from drone metal and psychedelic rock. Their first two albums showcased songs that were at least 10 minutes long, heavy, repetitive, and droning, incorporating ethnic chanting. Their third album, "Pilgrimage," shortened some of the songs and featured more traditional song structures, while their next two albums, "God is Good" and "Advaitic Songs," toned down the amount of metal/rock in the music and focused more on the ethnic sounds, putting Middle Eastern and Indian compositions at the forefront of their music.

https://omband.bandcamp.com/album/god-is-good
https://facebook.com/om.band?wtsid=rdr_0KeCscyWIcTxSMsoL



Edited by bardberic - September 14 2024 at 21:37

It's been a month... anyone have anything to add about this one

Say it's been over two months? How's this one coming along?

I just found out the band is working on a sixth album, so that would be great to have them here for when that time comes!

Anyway, you should pay attention to the drumming on Advaitic Songs, as it's really progressive... sounds like what a classic prog drummer would do most of the time to be honest... I LOVE how it's done. The bass playing is pretty proggy, too (as is the whole album). Frankly I think Advaitic Songs alone should be enough for their inclusion, tbh :)

Gordy wrote: yam yam wrote: ^ One 'yes' vote, one 'no' and one 'unsure'. The band is currently being discussed by the PSIKE team. Someone from that team will most likely post an update here when they finally reach a decision. So while I didn't notice the OP's disclaimer until just now, I, too, ultimately came around to Om based on their two most recent albums, particularly Advaitic Songs. Added to Psych/Space Rock.

Okay, great, I'll take it :)

Was hoping for raga rock, but this is acceptable, too