Vermillion Haze has already been out for well over three months, but I only jumped on it for the first time a few weeks ago… and I’ve been glued to it ever since. We’ll consider that a course-correction. The latest from O Zorn! was released in partnership with Hard Drugs and Seeing Red Records, and it is jam-packed with good stuff. I know we tossed the ‘post-metal’ label in the header, but let’s be real, that is way too broad of a brush stroke. Sludge, doom, stoner metal… honestly whatever you want this to sound like, you’ll probably get it. And it’s all pieced together to provide a fairly jarring image of reality, especially in recent pandemic years. Indeed, Vermillion Haze is heavy in both sound and context. To that point, frontman Bill Kielty was generous enough to open up and shed a little more light on the O ZORN! project, this latest album, and some of what went into its creation. I was already impressed by Vermillion Haze, start to finish, but this context only made me appreciate it that much more.

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How and when did you first get into playing music, or metal more specifically, and how did your band get its start? Any pushback from family/those close to you?

No pushback from family, but no real support either. I had to find music all on my own. My father was jock, and would have preferred that I be a star athlete. Thankfully my brother filled that role for him. My first experience with metal was when my neighbor up the street showed me Iron Maiden’s album “Powerslave”. That quickly lead to Venom, Possessed, Metallica… Slayer. Same neighbor had a shitty classical acoustic guitar that he let me mess around with. Fast forward 25 or so years, and O ZORN! starts up.

How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark?

We’ve been labeled quite a few things. Doom, sludge, stoner rock, stoner metal, post rock, post metal. Honestly, it’s mixed bag of nuts, but I think we’re just a heavy rock and roll band. We get compared to Alice in Chains a lot. So… maybe that’s my approach. ‘If you like Alice in Chains, you might enjoy my band’.

Is there one (or more) thing about your latest / upcoming album or about your band that no one will find in any interview or review that you care to divulge?

This latest album was going to be our last. Or at least my last. Been doing this shit a long time, without much success. Releasing our second album “Your Killer” the week the pandemic shut down, and not being able really do anything in support of the album was heartbreaking. Not to mention, losing bandmates during that time. A real moral killer. However, with the addition of my new bandmates, my love for it has been restored. It’s been years since I’ve been surrounded by such talented players and writers.

Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?

Unfortunately, no. We haven’t played enough shows with this current line up to serve up anything juicy. We’re flying back to Maryland in June to play the Maryland Doom Fest. Check with me after.

What do you see as some of the great things happening in and around the metal scene (yours or just in general) and what are some of the worst things happening right now?

I feel like we’re in a resurgence of rock/metal right now, which is great if you’re in a good band, putting out good music. Unfortunately, trying to get anyone to pay attention takes somewhat of a miracle. Social feeds are flooded with new music from new artists. How many bands do you have in your IG feed right now, promoting a song? It’s endless. It’s literally one big giant pay to play right now.

Most folks have passions for a cause or causes that are close to them. What, if any, are some of the most important issues (social/political/humorous/etc.) for you / your band and how do you insert those issues into your music?

Our latest album was written during the pandemic, in Los Angeles. Much of the lyrical content and overall vibe is rooted in what was happening not only local to us, but also throughout the world. Covid, political division, protests, the fate of the planet etc. That was a rough ride.

Do you guys have day jobs or hobbies you want to share?

I work in steel fabrication. Two of us are in the cannabis industry, and one a music teacher. I’m also a life long skater and a rider of motorcycles.

What advice do you have for music critics and outlets out there? How can we all better serve the genre in the eyes of a hard-working musician?

Man, I don’t know. Like being in a band, being a writer seems like a rough gig. Smaller outlets certainly help in getting bands such as ourselves out to a more underground market, but as for the bigger ones, how many Slipknot stories does one need to see on a daily basis? Spread the love a little more, I suppose? Back before everything went online, to get a write up or a review in an actual magazine was cause for celebration. You’d be in that magazine forever, and that zine would be on all of your friends’ coffee tables, in the cafes and on studio couches (sometimes for years), for people to pick up and discover you. Now, it’s just a daily occurrence. In and out of the social feed. You’re lucky to make “pick of the day” or “album of the week”. The amount of content that you guys have to come up with is insane. It’s exhausting enough to keep up as a band. I can’t imagine what it takes to be a critic or writer in today’s world. My hat is off to you.

Any specific long term goal(s) in mind?

Just trying to keep the writing moving forward and hopefully release another record. Which we will. Already have a bunch of demos.

When you’re not obsessing over your own material, what are some of your favorite albums to listen to currently?

I don’t listen to a lot of metal, but this new High On Fire is pretty great. Loving the new Young Widows stuff. New DIIV is really good as well.

What is the near future outlook for you or your band? Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?

Definitely some new music coming this fall/winter, which I believe we’ll be tracking at Studio 606. Really looking forward to that.

Summarize your band in one word.

Restored

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Many thanks to Bill for the time!

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Vermillion Haze is available now via Hard Drugs and Seeing Red Records. To stay in touch with O ZORN!, check out their website or give them a follow on Facebook.