SONG REVIEW: Ovtlier - Bulletproof
Ovtlier blend genres without compromising on heaviness with “Bulletproof”
Written by JD Walker
Many new rock bands attempt to go after the stadium rock sound in search of greener pastures, but few truly executie it right while staying true to their musical integrity. That’s where Ovtlier is an outlier - the band have created an incredible take on the sound that’s captured festivals and arenas around the world while integrating aspects of more complex genres to create a sound that’s both easily accessible to a wide audience yet extremely interesting to listen to and keeps the crowd on their collective toes.
“Bulletproof” starts off sounding more like a nu-metal song with heavy chugs contrasted by a dissonant sounding lead. The opening section of the song grooves and plays more like a breakdown, then kicks into a verse that definitely reflects more of a hardcore influence. Just as the audience is fooled into thinking that they’re listening to a hardcore song, a massive chorus kicks in with a more open sound and catchy vocal hooks from vocalist Joey Arena. After the second verse the song retains elements of the new wave of metalcore, combining harmonic chugs with a half-time breakdown. What truly catches the ear after the breakdown is the ambient section that follows the second chorus, layering electronic percussion with a delayed arpeggio in a display of progressive metal before kicking into a Periphery-esque solo.
Ovtlier have A LOT going for them with the sound of “Bulletproof”. The orchestration by guitarists Kane Buckley and Nolan Hayes augment the element of suspense in the song, channeling genres seemingly at a whim, while the rhythm section of Mike Wilkinson on drums and Paul Milne on bass kept the groove humming along and matched their melodic bandmates perfectly in terms of what the song needed. Very rarely can a band combine so many different styles into a song that still sounds cohesive and catchy, but Ovtlier has done it.
Ovtlier are no strangers to success in the music industry and it shows - having been featured in media outlets such as Revolver Magazine, Alternative Press, Loudwire, and even ABC News, the group are on a meteoric rise to stardom with nothing to slow them down. Their influences include Breaking Benjamin, Korn, and Periphery, though it’s hard to describe their sound as more heavily reflective of any one of these bands - it truly is a mix of a multitude of sounds and genres. Overall, Ovtlier has an incredible sound that is soon to grace the largest stages in the nation, and it’s only a matter of time before they play a festival near you.