OVTLIER – AN INFORMAL CONVERSATION WITH JOEY ARENA

Joey Arena is the charismatic frontman of the propulsively hard hitting Ovtlier. The band recently released a powerhouse single entitled “Heartless” which delivers a supersized tempo with slithering guitar riffs and vocals that are fiercely smooth. Ovtlier‘s genre bending sound is voracious. Their vibe is addictive while their sonic velocity is unmatched. Arena’s voice is an intoxicating weapon capable of a kaleidoscope of textures. Every note has its own dynamic verve.

Ovtlier is comprised of Arena (Vocals), Kane Buckley (Guitar), Nolan Hayes (Bass) and Mike Wilkinson (Drums). The entire band’s musicianship is blazing. Buckley’s guitar distributes torrents of aural explosives. Hayes’ bass detonates with industrial intensity while Wilkinson’s drums smash with a profound depth. All of their tracks kick ass. Ovtlier blends melodic zest with heavy tenaciousness in order to create a merciless beast. This band slays and takes no prisoners.

Joey Arena was kind enough to sit down with AMP for this informal conversation about all things Ovtlier.

AMP: Can you give the AMP readers a brief history of the band?

JOEY: I started Ovtlier in the summer of 2014. It started as a studio project. I was travelling to Cleveland which was about four hours from where I lived. I was working with my producer, Evan McKeever. We wrote our first EP in a studio apartment and we drove the neighbors nuts. That was the beginning. I released my first single, “Bury Me Alive”, in 2015. I dropped the entire EP in 2017. After that I decided to put a band together in order to perform live. And here we are today!

AMP: How would you describe the band’s sound to someone who never heard you before?

JOEY: I personally don’t like to describe our music in sub-genres. I just say rock and metal. I’m a pretty intuitive person. I can usually gauge a person’s perception of what rock and metal means. If I meet the average joe who just casually listens to music, I say Linkin Park and Metallica so they can get a quick insight into our music.

For the elite listener, I just say rock and metal but with undertones of nu-metal and prog sprinkled in. I try to keep our music as diverse as possible. I always want to keep our fans guessing what’s next. That is why I try to use my voice as a bridge. Sometimes is sounds heavier and other times more melodic. We never want to get stuck in a formula.

AMP: Do you feel that your new singles “Heartless” and “Living Dead” are an evolution in style from your previous material?

JOEY: “Living Dead” and “Heartless” are two songs we definitely wrote for radio but we wanted to make sure they both had something special about them. “Living Dead” is very special to me. I wanted it to be more musically driven. It has this industrial element and I wanted people to feel that kinetic kick. Before we released it, we tested it out on our tour with Gemini Syndrome and people were singing along by the second chorus.

“Heartless” is a very personal song for me. It’s a very melodic tune and I wanted the vocals to represent that. Both songs are in the same musical vein but have their own individual characteristics. They exemplify the diversity I spoke earlier about.

AMP: What is your creative process like?

JOEY: I like to write on the spot. I used to write stuff ahead of time and bring those ideas to the studio. Then my producer and I would hash things out. Recently, I have changed course. Now I come to the studio and start creating from my feelings from the day, week or month. It’s personal property I have to get out of my system. My songs turn into my journal. They become cathartic release.

AMP: What would you like your fans take away from your music?

JOEY: Like I stated before, I want them to keep guessing so they can look forward to the next release. We all grow as humans therefore our music will constantly grow as well. I want them to know that as a vocalist, I’ll always push the limits and we do the same as a band. Ovtlier also strives to be authentic, as people and a musical group. We want people to feel we are real not the flavor of the month. We develop genuine fans that truly appreciate the authenticity we put out.

AMP: If you could collaborate with anyone, past or present, who would it be?

JOEY: Man, that’s hard! I have to give you several. James Hetfield would be amazing to write with. I would also love to pick Kurt Cobain’s brain, a lot. His “I don’t give a fuck” attitude is enviable. Most of my musical idols are rule breakers and rebels. Glenn Danzig is another artist that intrigues me. He would be dope to work with.

AMP: The band seems to have a great relationship with Octane. How did that happen?

JOEY: Chris Motionless, 100%. For some reason, Chris has always looked out for me. We have developed a really good friendship over the years. We were supposed to tour together but Covid knocked that idea out the water. One day, Chris called me and told me he was adding one of our songs to his Octane “Takeover”. That blew the door open.

We were on his “Takeover” for a week or two which led us to getting a spot on “Accelerator”. We gained so much traction that it was surreal. Since then we have been blessed in having Vinny, Jose and the rest of Octane in our corner. What has carried this band are the awesome relationships we have forged with some really amazing people.

AMP: You have a series of upcoming tour dates with Any Given Sin and Shallow Side. How stoked is the band?

JOEY: We can’t wait! Any Given Sin’s producer, Chris Dawson (shout out!), also mixes our tracks. Chris wanted us to tour together. It came to fruition real fast. All three of our agents just hammered it out. It was booked in about two weeks. If it works out, we are all putting the tour out to different regions. It will be a blast.

AMP: What’s the band’s favorite song to play live?

JOEY: Another tough one! I have to give you four songs. It’s too hard to pick just one. “Living Dead” because it’s a crowd mover. “Blame The Dead” is great because it’s fast. It has an old school trash sound. It always brings the circle pits. We feed off that energy. “Your Disease” is a good one. The breakdown hits hard. “Buried Me Alive” is plainly killer. It always seems to be a fan favorite and everyone sings along. It’s perfect for the end of the set when my voice is going and the crowd sings it for me.

AMP: Your videos are like cinematic short stories. Who comes up with the storyboards?

JOEY: A lot of the time it’s me. My videographers get pretty hand on as well. I come up with the main idea and we all develop it from there. We put a ton of thought into them. We try to create a lot of detail to make them interesting. They always have to have content. I’m such a movie buff and I want to compact that film sensibility into a 31/2 minute short story.

AMP: What’s next for the band?

JOEY: We have several more releases slated for the rest of the year. There are two tours finalized with another one in the works. Then it’s hibernation mode and getting ready for the first quarter of 2024. We are lining up our best work yet. These next few releases and the two ready to go next year are going to devastate!

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