Generator Ohm

More and more brilliance is coming out of New York City as of late and Generator Ohm is no exception to that. These guys have presented their latest release, and as far as first impressions go, it’s a no brainer. Generator Ohm is pure class.

First point that should be made, is that this record is for fans of purity (none of that over produced, fancy gimmick music found in todays record stores). No, this is quality, raw and powerful Alternative Rock. It’s a salute to the skin and bones type of sound that made bands such as Fugazi, Soundgarden, The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jones Town Massacre household names.

Each song is a unique, but consistent experience. The band have come up with some of their best rhythmic lines and atmospheric melodies and thrown them at the wall of this record…Then carefully and precisely arranged the spillage. Songs such as ‘Lemming Shuffle’, ‘Platus’ and ‘They Can See Us’ are highlights from the record and contain some absolute bad ass riffage.

A huge compliment must be given to the production of this record as well. The partnership of Generator Ohm and Dan Kramer has worked wonders for this record. A certain no frills and ‘more is less’ approach is evident in the sound however the quality is kept crisp and clear. The romance of a vintage record is there and a dash of modern clarity was thrown in.

‘Upon The Me Om I’ is a fantastic record and a great example of that vintage, modernized underground Rock sound. Definitely for fans of Fugazi, The Dandy Warhols or The Brian Jones Town Massacre. Less is more? Doesn’t matter, ‘Upon The Me Om I’ is awesome, add it to your collection.

8/10 - Monolith.com

They say don’t judge a book by its cover, well sometimes it’s impossible not to.

Picture this, you’re walking through your local record store – you remember those right? They are those trendy looking buildings with all those circular objects, which when inserted into a music player generate sound. Yeah, that’s right, those are called CDs.

You’re walking through this record store, and something catches your eye. Sometimes it’s the album art, other times it’s the name of the band. This is usually when the judging begins. You know your taste; you know what looks appealing to you.

There are exceptions, however.

Imagine being sent a link to a band, and out of all those jumbled words you can’t figure out who the band is or what their albums is called. How do you start to judge that? Well you do your double click and send your senses into what may or may not be up your alley.

Upon first – well, assumption of Generator Ohm I was skeptical. Their name didn’t grab my attention, but after crashing my computer and taking a few weeks to listen to their sound I realized that sometimes I judge too soon.

It was the second track I listened to, “They Can See Us” that started to hit the spot. The twang of the guitar and the mellow vibe of the voice took me away from the scene of my one bedroom apartment. “Where should we go?” they ask. My answer – on a psychedelic trip. There is a retro feel to this album. It sounds 70s, it sounds 90s and it sounds modern – believe it or not.

Not many bands can generate something new in which that new sound transcends through a multitude of musical decades. Well done Generator Ohm – you made the skeptic in me a believer. I now believe in closing my eyes and letting the music take me away.

My recommendations – “They Can See Us,” “Platius,” “Smoke Eater” and “Devotion in Flux.” While all their tracks are worth giving a listen – these satisfied the guitar riff, jam band, and read-between-the-lines lyric lover inside me.

P.S – To be the opening act for the likes of Primus, or perhaps The Mars Volta, would be the perfect act for Generator Ohm.



Rating: 4/5 - Vents Magazine - reviewed by Kelly Anderson

OTH: Please introduce yourselves to our readers.

Generator Ohm: I’m Steve Woodzell, I play guitar;

Michael Morales, sometimes referred to as Mikopolis or Mikey; Willie Chen;

I’m Ernest D’Amaso and I play guitar/bass and sing for the band.

OTH: What inspired you guys to become a musician?

MM: My father played percussion, and my mother loved to sing. I began percussion at a very early age. My first real inspiration was watching Carter Beauford in the “Ants Marching” video by Dave Mathews Band. I wanted to be a drummer then.
SW: I’ve had music on the mind since my earliest memories, so I couldn’t say when or how I was first inspired by it. If there was one thing that originally inspired my guitar pursuits however, it would be Electric Ladyland.
WC: Irreverence, delusion, discipline, and fun (no significance on order). I learned to play guitar at church.
ED: I aimed to win the heart of a girl in my JHS by learning her favorite Aerosmith songs. So i bought a guitar tutorial on VHS and crammed. After learning her favs I realized that a bunch of other band’s songs used the same basic chords I learned for the initial reason. It kind of just spiraled out from there.

OTH: When writing a song what comes first the lyrics or the melody?

WC: When I write songs, it’s usually a stupor of some sort, and words are impossible. It’s all mouth babble that is later tamed into a melody. And, much, much later, is transformed into lyrics. The first fundamental that is created is a guitar or a piano part. Rarely, a drum beat can jump start a song, too. But those songs always sound like krautrock or shoe-gaze.
ED: For me, the rhythm. I try to think from the percussive perspective and outward to bass and guitars. The vocal schemes start as grunts and sounds and then eventually smooth out to become actual words. Then finally those words find their meaning and become lyrics.

OTH: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard of you before?

SW: 90s inflected, semi-experimental, energetic, unpredictable.

OTH: Are you currently working on an album?

MM: We are working on an EP currently and have a LP worth of material ready for recording next year

OTH: What are some of the craziest things you guys have done together?

SW: We are all deadly serious and spend our time outside of practice in separate libraries, reading obsolete technical manuals.

OTH: If you guys can switch places with one another who would it be and why?

MM: I would love to play bass but first Ive gotta learn. Keeping it in the rhythm section family where I’m home
WC: I’d switch with Michael because I’d like to be a really good drummer.
SW: I’d take Mike?s drums. We all love playing drums.
ED: I want to soar on the fret board like Steve Woodzell, with the wind between my fingers and an impeccable understanding of theory and sound. He’d probably blush at that but it’s true! He’s awesome!

OTH: Where do you see yourselves in 2 years?

MM: Touring, sponsored and making a name for myself and Generator Ohm
SW: Hopefully making some type of crazy music that I would never think of at this moment
WC: In Generator Ohm. On a fourth record, and hopefully a beach.
ED: Im going to counter Willie’s geography and say in a cold climate woody area with my mates, hold up in a log cabin decked out with top of the line recording equipment provided by our numerous sponsors

OTH: What’s your advice to people who want to be musicians?

MM: You have to be disciplined, concentrate and patience is key
ED: Practice, practice, practice.
SW: The usual: practice, learn to love hard work, learn how to be productive when creativity runs dry, as it often does. Inspiration is a stroke of luck, not something to rely on.
WC: There is no functional advice that exists for solely musicians. What works for a musician is what works for a human: Working hard, and going forward with a mind on progress and production. And seriously? Just don’t stop…stopping is stupid when you stopped where you don’t want to be

OTH: Lastly, how can our readers keep in touch with you?
Generator Ohm:

http://www.facebook.com/generatorohm
http://generatorohm.tumblr.com
http://generatorohm.bandcamp.com
http://www.twitter.com/generatorohm
http://www.myspace.com/generatorohm - Officially The Hottest

Brooklyn rock quartet set out to create an identity for themselves, and on this their debut album they do just that.

Bass-heavy track Lemming Shuffle opens the album. A song about people following blindly, it sets the tone for what is to come.

The opening riff and distorted bass line and vocals make They Can See Us an unsettling song. The fills and bizarre lyrics establish this as an uneasy listen, though in a good way.

On Platius Ernest D’amaso continues to display his varied and unusual vocal style. Daniel Fern kicks it up a notch on the guitar for this more fast-paced track, with lyrics discussing regret and unpaid dues.

Opening with a grainy, scratchy distortion Smoke Eater quickly kicks into a fast-paced riff, with drummer Mikopolis Morales in unrelenting fashion. The band continue in the same insane vein as on the previous songs, with such out there lyrics as: “Fish eyes and Math won’t dance at the party.”

Marginal Hop gives us the perspective of a mental patient. The lyrics give us the gritty details of institutionalisation; confusion, heartache and emptiness. The changing pace of the melody helps reflect the song’s grisly subject matter.

The groaning vocals and eerie melody establish Lynarco’s Men as the album’s darkest offering. The song’s gloomy lyrics only emphasize this even further.

Youth in Arms discusses the slow rate of the Earth’s self-destruction, with lyrics like: “God dont care to euthanize, he prefers to bleed us all out.” The most impressive musical factor of this song are the guitar solos from Chen, with a heavy jam session thrown in at the end.

Loss of hope from loneliness takes the focus in Devotion in Flux. This is complimented by the variety in vocal style, softer on the verses, but distorted and aggressive on the chorus.

First Encounters of the Worst Kind is a song about the failure of a relationship. Bitter lyrics tell the story of someone who ends things with their partner and cannot stand to see them again. This track starts at a slow pace, but builds up speed as it progresses, before ending with a slow-paced guitar solo. This solo stands out as the album’s most varied and enjoyable.

Devout, Devour tells the tale of being friends with the wrong people. The protagonist surrounds themselves with wicked people, and it ultimately leads to their downfall.

Yukon Tempest closes the album with a departure from what has preceded. The song is for all intents and purposes an instrumental; with the only lyric repeated over and over again (“You’ve got your war“). Though different from the other songs, it stays within the same vein and brings the album to a satisfying close.

Verdict: 6/6. With varied vocal styles, accomplished guitar solos and inspired, out-there lyrics Upon the Me Om I entertains and challenges the listener from beginning to end. - MRU - Reviewed by Kevin Carney

Generator Ohm, a great rock band whom try to stay as clear from a normal time signature or structure as possible have released a new music video in support of their debut album “Upon the Me Ohm I”. The track’s called “Youth In Arms” and features some foresty goings on! - Higher Plain Music

So we featured Generator Ohm a while back, so when the guys got in touch letting us know about their video for Youth In Arms, we were looking forward to seeing what they’d come up with. Directed by Dave Bunting from King Killer Studios, we checked out the track when we listened to their album (see below), so have a watch of the video and see what you reckon of things

Another band we were recently put onto from Independent Music Promotions was Generator Ohm, a band formed in 2010 as the brainchild of Ernest D’amaso, Michael R.P. Morales and Willie Chen. We were sent through a copy of their album Upon The Me Om I to see what we thought of things, and reading through the ‘similar to’ list I was struck by the comparisons to the likes of At The Drive In, The Refused, Fugazi, Jeff Buckley and Soundgarden, suggesting this is going to be one hell of an album. With a future that’s looking damned bright for themselves, I figured I’d better hit play to see what was going on!

Lemming Shuffle gets things moving and immediately shows off the more punky influences of the band, getting things going with a hammering guitar line and pounding bass tone, the mix forming something fast paced and moving throughout. This opening track is one for the live scene for sure, the sort of thing which people will love seeing performed, and the sort of thing which will build a hell of a reputation for the band. What’s most striking from the opening moments here is that the track doesn’t follow the conventions of a simple track and instead, offers up different approaches, different styles and different movements, all designed to add to the complexity of the track and keep it interesting. They Can See Us is further evidence of the refusal of the band to sit still with their style, this time opening with a more atmospheric styled track, almost coming as the calm after the storm. Bass heavy and fuelled by a sense of drum and bass, there’s something about this track which combines that punk/indie approach with the atmospheric style of dark drum and bass, the sort of thing which you’re not sure whether you should be dancing to or simply listening to – it’s a clever mix which takes a few listens to fully embrace but once you’ve got it, it sounds damned cool.

Platius once again shows us evidence of the different styles of the band, returning to the more rocky edge of things but still refusing to go down quietly. Syncopated beats combine with ‘out there’ guitar lines and Dave Grohl-esque vocals, forming a mix which sounds accessible, easy to listen to, yet still packs a punch and gets you up and moving. It’s hard to put into words what this track is like as simply, it seems to rove around from moment to moment, each time offering up a slightly different approach and all the time pushing the boundaries of what you’d expect to hear on an album like this. Smoke Eater, Marginal Hop and Lynarco’s Men all continue this approach, each track sounding like a hybrid of Muse combined with a punk band, yet still managing to stamp their own unique approach firmly onto the track so we don’t forget who we’re listening to. Youth In Arms on the other hand moves us back to the ‘simpler’ (I don’t like using that word but it’s the only one which I can think of here) approach to things, still managing to sound advanced and full of technical hooks, yet showing further that there’s more to these guys than meets the eye. Heavy guitars work with syncopated drums and rumbling bass rhythms to back up the soaring vocal lines, the mix forming something which is heavy yet not heavy, straight forward yet complex – in short, a track which is going to blow your mind!

It’s no surprise that Devotion in Flux continues to push the boundaries of what you’re expecting, this time throwing us into a bass-centric melee of guitars and drums, the mix forming something which is raw and edgy, yet well put together and refined at the same time. What’s been most striking about this album so far has been the bands ability to make you question everything you’re hearing, there’s not been a single track which follows the conventions you’re expecting to see, it’s a constant push for uniqueness and fresh sounding melodies. First Encounters of the Worst Kind and Devout, Devour both present us with tracks which could be considered advanced on any normal album, but here they sound almost normal, each one continuing to push out the melodic and daring approach of the band, leading us towards the end of the album. The end comes in the form of Yukon Tempest, a hard hitting and powerful track which oozes with emotion and bass heavy rhythms. As a final track this does what it should, finishes the album off nicely but leaves us wanting to hear more, showing there’s still more to come but not giving away too much about what to expect from the guys. Reaching the end has been an emotional journey, each track presenting a different outlook on things and showing there is a band out there who aren’t afr - Loud-Stuff.com/ Reviewer - Dave Nicholls

Generator Ohm, a three-piece rock band have released their début album and have been busy rocking my speakers for a little while. Time to tell the world!

The rock style is very similar to a slightly less cohesive and more free-flowing grunge rock band. “Lemming Shuffle” changes up beat tempos, echoing guitar solos and some amazing bass guitar work. It’s like they’ve tried to squeeze everything into a single track. The energy is full on. “They Can See Us” is more spacious and discordant and reminds me of something Babylon Zoo would have done. “Platius” has a really nifty riff that keeps returning in between rock out solos and mosh out drum loops.

“Smoke Eater” goes out of its way to hop, skip and jump at 180mph and its here where you start to appreciate the vocals. The lead singer has a slight Kurt Cobain twang to his tone. It’s a bit of a lazy comparison but sometimes it really sounds similar – other times it sounds like The Monkeys! “Marginal Hop” showcases the bands unusual chord structures in an epic chorus.

“Lynarco’s Men” takes things darker and more psychedelic in a weird three-minute build up track that when it comes to the end just unravels into a heap. “Youth In Arms” starts off as possibly the most radio friendly track from the album but still houses and interesting drum beat and a half drunk vocal delivery but it the kind of sloppiness that enhances the track. “Devotion in Flex” has some absolutely amazing guitar work in what could be my favourite track of the album. It’s rolling drums and epic quick guitar riffs work perfectly over slow-moving words.

The final trio of tracks start with “First Encounters of the Worst Kind” which specifically reminds me early Soundgarden whilst “Devout, Devour” harks back to early 90's grunge rock. It has such an off the wall chord structure – a signature for the band – its genuinely interesting to listen to even if you’re not a fan. “Yukon Tempest” closes the album with a slower track where we really hear the vocals push into shouts and screams more than before. It’s like a degenerating stadium rock finale.

Generator Ohm’s album is a complete clusterscrew of all kinds of meshing, moulding, mash-ups and sometimes it sounds like three guys jamming separately and then clumped together. I think it takes two or three listens to really appreciate the fact that there’s a band really trying new ways to make song structures and like me, they love a bit of a discordant sound. I give them two hearty thumbs up for it. I hope this does them well! - Higher Plain Music

I could never mistake the music of ‘Generator Ohm’ for someone else. There just so- just so…charismatic. The group’s debut LP ‘Upon the Me Om I’ is drowning, almost literally, with the bludgeoning massiveness of booming guitars, dark, intricately layered electronics, and sweeping drums, making for a tense and atmospheric collection of music.
‘Upon the Me Om I’ manages to be messy and distressing just as much as it is invigorating. Like many great rock groups, there is a surefire tenacity in the musicianship, but often remains “catchy” enough to allow room for breathing. This is perhaps ‘Generator Ohm’s’ greatest strength as a foursome. The songs rock and weave through entangled guitar licks, but the songwriting and softness (however distant) still remains at the forefront of the music.
It is hard to explain, and of course, I can only hope the music helps to speak for itself. Opening track ’Lemming Shuffle’ is chaotic, switching up rhythms in an almost ADD- level fashion. When the guitar rides in, you find yourself on a mini-adventure. But through it all, the song is grounded, it is catchy, and the vocal work is impressive and resounding.
This is the crux of the group’s style. Part chaos; part uniform cohesion. ‘Lynarco’s Men’ takes this style even further. The song is eerie, playing up odd atmospherics for a haunted-house feel. But through it all, we remain firmly centered. The chorus is hardly existent, but through all the dark gothic mayhem, Generator Ohm is in total control. ‘Smoke Eater’ is a roller-coaster of garage rock/metal/punk, throwing away normal songwriting conventions for a dipping and weaving track of innumerably oddities. ‘First Encounters of the Worst Kind’ also displays this tense virtuosity well, changing styles and shifting timing for an alternating foray of rock fluctuations.
The dynamic makes for a rather intriguing listen throughout. With the album title, and the album image, depicting a triumphant statue amidst chaos and doom, Generator Ohm is not trying to hide their bizarre nature from anyone. But underlying the weirdness and the constantly shifting ground of their songs is a band realizing that keeping a listener on their toes could quite possibly be just the way to keep them forever.
As fans, not as hostages; the distinction means everything. You explore the beast, while I’ll go back to listening- willingly, of course. - The Noise Beneath The Apple/ reviewer: Ryan Merkel

Upon the Me Om I, is an absolutely stunning, mature album that covers lots of ground. From post-punk aggro to trippy, swaying, sighing laments to hook-laden, heavy grunge-rock grooves. On a visionary, perfectly executed and technically impeccable on album, Generator Ohm wield their guitars like a Swiss army knife, turning out churning, soaring, and wicked guitar driven pieces. Willie Chen’s riffs are brilliant and back-up the passionate, anguished vocal wails to great effect, while the lyrics display an intellectual sensibility that is rarely found on modern rock records.

The album is both resolute and intricate, with mammoth power and melody. Eleven tracks that are basically all killers. For what it’s worth, my album highlights are, “They Can See Us,” “Marginal Hop,” “Youth In Arms,” “Devotions In Flux” and “Yukon Tempest.”

The artwork is pretty amazing too, and matches the music well. Upon the Me Om I is a great rock album, with a healthy but not overpowering dose of experimentation.

The decade of the 1990s was the last decent decade for rock music. It in no way can compare to the 1980's as far as talent of artists and overall quality of music are concerned, but it was at least respectable, with a host of great bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden rising to the forefront. The 2000's were awful, and so far the 2010's are a whole lot worse yet. Generator Ohm’s album, Upon the Me Om I, is the first tangible sign that things in the rock music world may be on the verge of improving.

On a purely visceral level however, Generator Ohm is principally three remarkable musicians at the top of their game. Quite frankly, if you appreciate rock you’re sure to love this. - JamSphere, the Indie Rock Magazine and Radio Network

Generator Ohm’s debut album, Upon the Me Om I, brings an intently mixed bag of runs, twists, builds, and declines, that may bring back thoughts of rock. For something perhaps more poetic, come up with it with a listen here... - Parasites & Sycophants

Generator Ohm takes everything I absolutely love about Rock and throws it into one fantastic album. Musically, this is the equivalent of a rocket ship sent into overdrive, crashing into a distant planet, and exploding into a mass of unicorns. I mean, that’s my scientific analysis anyway.

To begin with, these boys aren’t trying to be radio friendly. They’re heavy without using overly distorted guitars or screaming. They have a beautiful energy and ability to create beautiful melodies intertwined with some minor chords and progressions that get extremely nasty.

It can be a challenging listen. It’s thinking man’s (or woman’s) rock.

The track “They Can See Us” is an epic. Intense drumming and rhythm lead to some beautiful chorus singing that really show off the direction this band wants to go.

Every part of this band screams quality musicianship. However, I have to give a special shout out to the bassist Willie Chen. He’s as sick of a bassist as I have ever heard. As a bassist myself, I tend to gravitate towards bands that don’t relegate the bass the back of the track. Generator Ohm’s bassist goes super hard and funky. Combine that with an incredible drummer, and you have an amazingly powerful rhythm section.
The singing style is awesome. It’s clean and emotional. I can’t put my finger on it, but the vocals remind me of something… actually… it’s the Beatles. They have great harmonies. Don’t get me wrong, this band sounds nothing like The Beatles… but vocally, they have that same harmony ability.

There are songs that remind me of Thrice, old Maroon Five, O’ Brother, but with a progressive rock edge. It’s an amazing listen. This is only my third review for the Ripple Effect, but I have to say, that this album has flown towards the top of my favorite albums of all time. I can’t gush enough. This band is worth a listen, a purchase, a share… whatever you can do. I’ll be doing my part.

Generator Ohm is incredible, and they deserve to be heard.

--Professor - The Ripple Effect

It takes a trained ear to understand the influences that poke through walls of noise on Generator Ohm's debut album Upon The Me Om I. Generator Ohm focuses on the low end of the sonic spectrum; the bass and drum are key components. Every other sound is glitz. It's hard for individual tracks to sound out against the droning bass. Even Chen and D'Amaso's vocals are lost in the background. At times Upon The Me Om I grinds and grooves like Black Sabbath or Rush (see: "Youth In Arms" and "Smoke Eater" and "Marginal Hop") and at times it falls flat on its face lost in a sea of droning monotony (see: "They Can See Us" and "Platius"). There's talented musicians somewhere in the mix, just not in the front of it all. - Punk Aesthetic

It takes a trained ear to understand the influences that poke through walls of noise on Generator Ohm's debut album Upon The Me Om I. Generator Ohm focuses on the low end of the sonic spectrum; the bass and drum are key components. Every other sound is glitz. It's hard for individual tracks to sound out against the droning bass. Even Chen and D'Amaso's vocals are lost in the background. At times Upon The Me Om I grinds and grooves like Black Sabbath or Rush (see: "Youth In Arms" and "Smoke Eater" and "Marginal Hop") and at times it falls flat on its face lost in a sea of droning monotony (see: "They Can See Us" and "Platius"). There's talented musicians somewhere in the mix, just not in the front of it all. - Punk Aesthetic

Sounding like a funkier version of Nirvana’s Bleach album – Generator Ohm are a grungy rock trio that seem to want to rock out regardless of the tune and beat – it’s all about the feeling. An album review is coming soon - Higher Plain Music

More and more brilliance is coming out of New York City as of late and Generator Ohm is no exception to that. These guys have presented their latest release, and as far as first impressions go, it’s a no brainer. Generator Ohm is pure class.

First point that should be made, is that this record is for fans of purity (none of that over produced, fancy gimmick music found in todays record stores). No, this is quality, raw and powerful Alternative Rock. It’s a salute to the skin and bones type of sound that made bands such as Fugazi, Soundgarden, The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jones Town Massacre household names.

Each song is a unique, but consistent experience. The band have come up with some of their best rhythmic lines and atmospheric melodies and thrown them at the wall of this record…Then carefully and precisely arranged the spillage. Songs such as ‘Lemming Shuffle’, ‘Platus’ and ‘They Can See Us’ are highlights from the record and contain some absolute bad ass riffage.

A huge compliment must be given to the production of this record as well. The partnership of Generator Ohm and Dan Kramer has worked wonders for this record. A certain no frills and ‘more is less’ approach is evident in the sound however the quality is kept crisp and clear. The romance of a vintage record is there and a dash of modern clarity was thrown in.

‘Upon The Me Om I’ is a fantastic record and a great example of that vintage, modernized underground Rock sound. Definitely for fans of Fugazi, The Dandy Warhols or The Brian Jones Town Massacre. Less is more? Doesn’t matter, ‘Upon The Me Om I’ is awesome, add it to your collection. - The Raffo Review

Hear our mention @19:00~ - RadioCrystalBlue

Generator Ohm is a quartet built for rock and roll.
Willie Chen handles bass, guitar, and vocals. Ernest D’Amaso also on bass, guitar, and vocals. Stephen A. Woodzell handling guitar and keys. Last but never least, Michael Morales beats away on the drums.
Fugazi? At The Drive-In? The Refused? Soundgarden?
Yes. Yes. Yes. And yes. Generator Ohm is a mixture of all these influences and then some. This is a new form of rock and roll.
Generator Ohm takes your will to live, shoves it in your face, and then makes you decide whether or not resistance is futile.
This music speaks to the core of every person. This is rock and roll that resonates inside you.
All the gods of classic rock stand proud. - Middle Tennessee Music

Mixing fast punk riffs with slightly pop/indie sounding vocals, Generator Ohm are not what you might initially expect from such a name. Their sound can be likened to a punkier version of Nirvana, mixed with the laid back sound of the Chilli Peppers.
It’s not until ‘Smoke Eater’ that the songs really find their edge; the track really lifts the album and the melody is very catchy. From there on in top singles keep on coming including ‘Marginal Hop’ (which has a slight Foo Fighter influence) and ‘Devotion in Flux’.
Generator Ohm have a distinct sound, a strong following and above all else – passion. - The Music Mag

If you’re anything like me then there’s a reason you continue to go back and listen to some of the same songs or albums you did five, ten years ago. They were just so good that they not only grabbed your attention, but have refused to let go after all of this time. Lasting value doesn’t seem as prominent with the music being released these days. Generator Ohm may be the type of band that helps break that trend.

The second “Lemming Shuffle” started I was hooked. It’s quick, though not totally upbeat, and shows off the trios ability to craft catchy tunes. It’s everything an opener should be: an immediate attention grabber. It has all of the same qualities that circle back around in “Marginal Hop”. Both tracks demonstrate what these musicians are capable of. The drumming is precise and covers the spectrum simple to complex, the bass work chugs along right behind and allows the effect heavy guitars to take the lead on more than one occasion.

Vocals on the album have a post-grunge sound that melds perfectly into the instrumentals, which I love. My only complaint is that about the time you get to “Lynarco’s Men” a lot of the album begins to sound the same. There are still glimmering moments like a gorgeous drawn out guitar solo in “First Encounters of The Worst Kind”, but I do wish there was a bit more diversity. -Hellhound Music
- The Elementary Revolt

Generator Ohm's debut album Upon the Me Om I is all about the guitars. Beginning as a collaboration between Willie Chen and Ernest D'amaso, who not only wrote and sang the vocals on their material, but also played guitar and bass, Generator Ohm expanded into a trio with the addition of drummer Mike Morales (who was also working with EndAnd). With a sound that has been described as post-grunge, the band's publicity describes its influences as bands like The Pixies, At the Drive In, Nirvana, Sonic Youth and Fugazi. Certainly the new album is testimony to those influences.

While their music can be energetically primal, their pronouncements about their artistic intentions in their publicity can come across as pretentious, couched in language that comes close to parody. You have to wonder just how far their tongues are in their cheeks. In the manifesto that appears on PureVolume, they speak of the new album as "an aural panacea against the spirit of sloth settling in digital sediment...[It's] a genre-bending collection of songs. They tell us, "We take the day on our backs, and unpack the burdens at night to seek the fruits of a bard's labor." There is something rotten in the state of music today and this is a band that's ready to set things right with music that is revolutionary and revelatory, or so they say.

It is all well and good to have ambition. It is all well and good, even essential, to aim at developing a voice of one's own. It is a mistake to write manifestos. Play great music and let the music do your talking for you. And while the music on this debut album has its inventive moments, I'm not sure it justifies all this eloquent prose. Listening to the album, it just doesn't sound as revolutionary as all that.

On the other hand if you ignore the band's publicity and let the music speak for itself, you can't help but be impressed by the guitar work on tracks like "Lemming Shuffle," "They Can See Us," and the infectious anthem "Youth in Arms." Check out the video for "Marginal Hop" and you'll get a good read on what this band is doing. - BlogCritics

"Yukon Tempest" is easily my favorite track. It has this ethereal, haunting aura to it that is absolutely beautiful.

Generator Ohm's debut album, Upon the Me Om I, is an aural panacea against the spirit of sloth settling in digital sediment. Upon the Me Om I is a genre-bending collection of songs written by Ernest D'amaso, or by Willie Chen, or as a collective writing unit. While the songs are different, the tie that binds is the spirit of Rock n Roll that all three members hold to high esteem.

Michael, who came late into the band after the songs of Upon the Me Om I were constructed and arranged, brought the fulfilment Ernest and Willie long sought for in the second year of Generator Ohm. His eclectic style of varied influences from jazz and world music, to pop and punk was the exact rhythmic counterpart Generator Ohm songs needed. There are Pop sentiments everywhere hidden under the raw tone of Ernest and Willie's unpredictable playing styles.

The future is bright for a band like Generator Ohm. With skills to write songs of any tempo, depth, genre and melody, Generator Ohm will be creating the artistic facsimile of the world for years to come. An EP slated for production later this year is on the wings, and materials for a second LP are already in the bag.

To truly understand Generator Ohm's pursuit of passion, one must see with their own eyes and hear the music as it is produced by the electricity of the human heart. Go to a Generator Ohm show. They occur often in New York City (mostly in Brooklyn). And witness the power of human expression. Then, when you are back from the show, dig into the valuable lessons and relevant perspectives they cogently evince in their lyrics. This book is worth reading from top to bottom...and it is a raucous, hard hitting, bottom-line delivering sonic response to life in the 21st century.

Generator Ohm refers to the heart in every man and woman, and the resistance they must face when accepting the will to live. - Technorati

Brooklyn rock quartet set out to create an identity for themselves, and on this their debut album they do just that.

Bass-heavy track Lemming Shuffle opens the album. A song about people following blindly, it sets the tone for what is to come.

The opening riff and distorted bass line and vocals make They Can See Us an unsettling song. The fills and bizarre lyrics establish this as an uneasy listen, though in a good way.

On Platius Ernest D'amaso continues to display his varied and unusual vocal style. Daniel Fern kicks it up a notch on the guitar for this more fast-paced track, with lyrics discussing regret and unpaid dues.

Opening with a grainy, scratchy distortion Smoke Eater quickly kicks into a fast-paced riff, with drummer Mikopolis Morales in unrelenting fashion. The band continue in the same insane vein as on the previous songs, with such out there lyrics as: "Fish eyes and Math won't dance at the party."

Marginal Hop gives us the perspective of a mental patient. The lyrics give us the gritty details of institutionalisation; confusion, heartache and emptiness. The changing pace of the melody helps reflect the song's grisly subject matter.

The groaning vocals and eerie melody establish Lynarco's Men as the album's darkest offering. The song's gloomy lyrics only emphasize this even further.

Youth in Arms discusses the slow rate of the Earth's self-destruction, with lyrics like: "God dont care to euthanize, he prefers to bleed us all out." The most impressive musical factor of this song are the guitar solos from Chen, with a heavy jam session thrown in at the end.

Loss of hope from loneliness takes the focus in Devotion in Flux. This is complimented by the variety in vocal style, softer on the verses, but distorted and aggressive on the chorus.

First Encounters of the Worst Kind is a song about the failure of a relationship. Bitter lyrics tell the story of someone who ends things with their partner and cannot stand to see them again. This track starts at a slow pace, but builds up speed as it progresses, before ending with a slow-paced guitar solo. This solo stands out as the album's most varied and enjoyable.

Devout, Devour tells the tale of being friends with the wrong people. The protagonist surrounds themself with wicked people, and it ultimately leads to their downfall.

Yukon Tempest closes the album with a departure from what has preceded. The song is for all intents and purposes an instrumental; with the only lyric repeated over and over again ("You've got your war"). Though different from the other songs, it stays within the same vein and brings the album to a satisfying close.

Verdict: 6/6. With varied vocal styles, accomplished guitar solos and inspired, out-there lyrics Upon the Me Om I entertains and challenges the listener from beginning to end.
- Music Review Unsigned

Music snobs; we all know one, that one friend of yours who hates all the music you play saying it’s “not technical enough” and when they play something you hate it’s because “you’re not sophisticated enough”. Well to be fair, if someone was that big of an asshole all the time I doubt many people would be his friend, but I think it’s safe to say we’ve all encountered these people in our lives, whether or not they were in them for very long. If you do happen to have a music snob, or maybe a whole slew of them, in your group of friends I have something for you that will shut them up and that you can actually enjoy listening to. Generator Ohm is Brooklyn’s answer to prog rock.
Generator Ohm takes all the complexity and musical sophistication of progressive music and mixes it with the catchy melodies and hooks of indie rock. Complete with versatile drums that bust out beats covering everything from punk to reggae to prog and a one of the funkiest basses I’ve heard this side of Parliament Funkadelic, Generator Ohm has all the tools to make complex, intriguing, and catchy tunes. Try mixing Mr. Bungle, Hum, and Soundgarden and what you get is Generator Ohm in a nutshell. Catchy and complex, Generator Ohm is how Brooklyn, the indie music Mecca, does prog rock.
Generator Ohm’s debut album, “Upon the Me Om I”, dropped just this summer. This full length, 11 track beauty hits all the prog hot spots and smells so sweetly of indie influence. Finally a prog rock band that appeals to more than the eclectic and the eccentric. Try out “Lemming Shuffle” off of “Upon the Me Om I” and get start shutting up those music snobs. - SeedsTheHyperTreeBlog

Lyrics - 3.0 || Music - 4.0 || Vocals - 3.5
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
Genre: Hardcore Rock
Key Track: Platius

Generator Ohm takes stellar musicianship to a whole new level on their newest release,
Upon The Me Om I. The artwork is a bit "ummm..." but who cares, these dudes are
insanely talented musicians so that makes up for it. They remind me of the band,
Soundgarden, so if you liked those guys, you'll like Generator Ohm.

The melodies and vocals are pretty darn good on this project. I like the doubled lead
vocals on some of the verses because it adds extra dimension to what I typically hear
from other rock bands. Musically, I really dig the guitars and bass because they do their
own individual things while still staying in sync with each other. The drummer is utterly
ridiculous and at times I found myself just focused on the kick patterns being played.
Talk about game changer!

While the songwriting is a bit eerie and not to my particular liking, I have to respect the
fact that Generator Ohm knows what their core audience wants to hear and they remain
true to that. I enjoyed mostly the music and vocal delivery on this project and highly
recommend it to those whose tastes are primarily tuned to the hardcore rock and
post-rock sound.

Overall, I'd have to give Upon The Me Om I, an "A" for consistency and Generator Ohm a
"AAA+" for how awesome they thrash, grind and shred the guitars on each song. - IAE Magazine

Generator Ohm is one of those bands you may either love or hate. If you wish to bob your head up and down lazily, you might get frustrated. If you’re looking to have your soul stirred, it might not happen as many times as you’d wish. If you’re looking for thrash punk with a Johnny Rotten level of attitude, your thirst may not be slaked enough.

However, if you’re looking for a delicate balance of styles and something that surprises and challenges you, this is definitely the album for you.

As I listened to “Upon The Me Om I” Something occured to me.

“Man, these guys are REALLY versatile!”

They can go from beautiful and haunting to ugly and repugnant at the drop of a dime. They can go from straight four-on-the-floor to mind-bending progressive math. They can go from soft to heavy. Funky to gloomy. And the amazing part is that they’ll do all that over the course of a single four minute song.

There’s eleven songs on this album, all around the four minute mark. There must be approximitely twelve to thirteen parts in each song, so feel free to do the math. There is alot of bang for your buck in this disc. You’re not going to get a collection of ‘singles’. You’ll be given music that challenges your mind, heart and senses. Some tracks may even have to grow on you but, when they do, you’ll feel gratified that you gave Generator Ohm a chance.

The drums are manic and tight. The guitars go from chimey to dirty to heavy to mellow with style and class. The vocals shine with belted out melodies that are graced by the occasional harmony. ALWAYS flawless. The singer, quite frankly, blows my mind.

Now, I’m gonna take a second to put one of the members on pedestal. I don’t like doing that often, but it’s warranted in this album.

To me, the basswork is the standout element of “Upon The Me Om I.” This guy slaps, flicks, punches and picks his way through every track with elaborate technique and flow. He complements the drums and then some. I figure that the band is aware of his skills, because in many of the songs, his bass guitar seemed to be at the forefront in production. Normally, that would bother me. This time, it did not.

All in all, Generator Ohm completely blew my mind. As a music enthusiast, I appreciate a good challenge when listening to an album. In fact, as soon as this review is done, I am going to saunter back to my stereo, and stick “Upon The Me Om I” on repeat.

Thanks, boys, for one of my favorite albums of the year. Salud. - Follow the Signal

Generator Ohm, a rock band that is hard to put a label on, has just released (September 2012) their phenomenal debut album called “Upon the Me Om I.” Usually with an album and band, you can reference a couple of bands that they have been influenced by and sound like. It’s not so easy with Generator Ohm, but I will do my best. I hear some early Pink Floyd, Pixies, and a little Rush thrown in.

The band is based in Brooklyn, New York and includes members Ernest D’amaso, Willie Chen, Mikopolis Morales, and Stephen A. Woodzell.

Quite simply, this is one of the best indie albums of 2012. Every college radio station in the country should have this album in their rotation right now! The musicianship is outstanding, the arrangements are always interesting, the songwriting is top notch, and the production of the album is incredible

You can tell the band put a lot of thought, energy, and creativity into this album. “Upon the Me Om I” is one of those albums that you can listen to for years and still pick up some new nuances that you may not have heard before.

Standout tracks are the uptempo “Lemming Shuffle”, the Neo-Punk “Smoke Eater” and the Foo Fighters influenced “Youth in Arms.”

But you have to really listen to the whole album to appreciate the quality of this band.

On a Feedback Fury scale of 11, we rate the debut album “Upon the Me Om I” by Generator Ohm a 10! We can’t wait to see how this band develops in the future.

For more information about Generator Ohm, check out their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/generatorohm or buy their new album on their Bandcamp page at http://generatorohm.bandcamp.com/album/upon-the-me-om-i - Feedback Fury

If you’re anything like me then there’s a reason you continue to go back and listen to some of the same songs or albums you did five, ten years ago. They were just so good that they not only grabbed your attention, but have refused to let go after all of this time. Lasting value doesn’t seem as prominent with the music being released these days. Generator Ohm may be the type of band that helps break that trend.

The second “Lemming Shuffle” started I was hooked. It’s quick, though not totally upbeat, and shows off the trios ability to craft catchy tunes. It’s everything an opener should be: an immediate attention grabber. It has all of the same qualities that circle back around in “Marginal Hop”. Both tracks demonstrate what these musicians are capable of. The drumming is precise and covers the spectrum simple to complex, the bass work chugs along right behind and allows the effect heavy guitars to take the lead on more than one occasion.

Vocals on the album have a post-grunge sound that melds perfectly into the instrumentals, which I love. My only complaint is that about the time you get to “Lynarco’s Men” a lot of the album begins to sound the same. There are still glimmering moments like a gorgeous drawn out guitar solo in “First Encounters of The Worst Kind”, but I do wish there was a bit more diversity. You can stream the album here:
http://generatorohm.bandcamp.com/

RIYL: At The Drive-In, Fugazi, Refused - Hellhound Music

Brooklyn's Generator Ohm brings to mind acts like The Melvins and At the Drive-In with Jeff Buckley-inspired vocals over top. Call it prog, post-rock or whatever you like; this is ambitious stuff and worthy of a good listen. "Upon the Me Om I" is an extremely strong underground rock release, and more proof that good things are coming out of the New York rock music scene. - BLrag Internet Radio

Generator Ohm is a nifty rock band with a sound that combines the influences of a variety of classic acts for a pretty unique modern sound. There is an interesting combination of old and new on this record. There are some math rock influences on certain songs and some pretty trippy drum parts, yet at the same time some of fills scream classic rock. I find this to be rather interesting and I think it adds a lot of flavor to the music. The guitar playing on this record is very solid and features a lot of cool progressions that are very modern rock. While none to heavy they are all rather tasty and cool to check out. The bass work is very creative and there is a ton of really cool fills going on in this record. It adds a really cool layer to the music and really draws you in to the sound. The drumming is very cool and is not afraid to experiment with some different sounding beats. There are some very cool build ups and progressions on this record and I really like how they gel with a lot of the guitar structures. It's cool to hear music this developed. Finally, the vocals are very well executed and have a smooth and reassuring beauty to them. It really grounds the band into reality. It takes all of the progressions and brings them back to earth. The vocals are an essential part of this band. In conclusion, Generator Ohm is a cool band that any modern rock fan will probably enjoy, so go check them out! - Two Guys Metal Reviews

Yet another excellent example of the thriving music scene in Brooklyn, NY. Anytime I have a strong urge to discover some new underground music Brooklyn is my go-to scene.
Kick ass bass lines & catchy guitar rifts craft Generator Ohm’s up coming release of ’Upon the Me Om I’ (September 2012).

Check these guys out on twitter, Facebook & bandcamp. You wont regret it. - Daily Consciousness (in Nova Scotia)

One of the things that I really wish would return to the independent music scene is the cooperative feeling that bands used to have with each other instead of the constant competition rife in the underground scene today. Support each other damn it! Luckily there are pockets of bands working together to build something greater for the scene in general. One such spot is King Killer Studios in Gowanas, Brooklyn. The collaborative effort of the bands that call this place home has led to some great music lately. My latest fetish from KKS is Generator Ohm.

The band is still relatively new, forming in 2010 when guitarists Ernest D’amaso and Willie Chen met drummer Michael R.P. Morale of the band EndAnd in the cooperative environment that is King Killer Studios and saw a like mind that fit perfectly with the pounding guitar and drum style they were developing. Their innovative and hard sound could be described possibly as post-rock or post-alternative or post-grunge. It is post-something because as they borrow from the past they are creating something completely new. Their influences of At The Drive In, The Pixies, and Fugazi hit right in a sweet spot of my past musical loves.

Generator Ohm is set to release their debut album Upon the Me Om I next month but has already starting building a rabid fan base aching for the record by playing powerful shows every 2 weeks throughout NYC. I was lucky enough to see them for myself a couple weeks ago in Brooklyn and literally had my jaw drop. The band’s live performance is electric and demands attention by everyone within earshot. Earnest and Willie are able to switch between guitar, bass, and vocal duties without the band skipping a beat. The first song on the album to really grab me is ‘Lemming Shuffle’. It begins with a speedy yet melodic rhythm that draws the listener in immediately. I dare to say I got a Foo Fighters feel for a minute. Each member of the band is an expert on their instrument and each sound complements the others so well. Powerful is a word that keeps coming to mind. ‘They Can See Us’ begins with a jangly echoing guitar before the low end comes in to shake your bowels. This is music that is for more than just the ears, it is a full body experience. The vocals are also an intricate part of the song as they carry the listener forcing you to focus on everything all at once. The start-stop rhythm of ‘Marginal Hop’ is another song that shows the expertise of all three musicians. From sexy guitar fills, to pounding drums, to vocals that seem impossible to sing and play at the same time. I can’t say enough about how good these guys are with their instruments.

Bottom Line: I could go on and on about Generator Ohm and my newfound love for them but I don’t want to sound smitten. These guys need to be on your radar before they explode onto the scene. I hope the Indie Band Guru can stay involved with Gen Ohm all the way up to their pending stardom. Don’t forget to tell everyone you heard of them here first!

Go get a preview of Upon the Me Om I now at:

http://generatorohm.bandcamp.com/ - Indie Band Guru (http://indiebandguru.com)

Generator Ohm formed now two years ago, as Willie Chen and Ernest D'Amaso finally found in Mike Morales the drummer they'd been searching for to pursue a collaboration that began with Chewing Picks in 2008. Drawing influences from punk, grunge as well as hard rock/heavy metal, they put together a first album 'Upon The Me Om I' which, if quite the gripping ride, is neither as heavy nor as invasive as one could expect from a band with a defined taste for restless drums and powerful guitar work. Their sound is on the contrary very open, unclettered, however certain it is that they'd 'never miss a beat', rolling steady through complex arrangements with a fluidity that finds them as committed to the aesthetics of prog-rock as there are to delivering effective rock'n'roll to the NYC crowds. Speaking of which, they'll be playing a handful of Brooklyn shows before the end of August, the first being this Thursday (8.16) at The Trash Bar's WilliFest, followed by XPO 929 on the 17th and Bar Matchless on the 31st, avis aux amateurs. - The Deli Magazine (http://nyc.delimagazine.com)

The show was a collection of bands that I had been really wanting to see including EndAnd, The Barrens, and Generator Ohm. Debbie from The Barrens put the whole show together and showed how bands that support each other can make for a fun night. This is the start of a cooperative music scene that is much needed in today’s NYC music landscape.

(...)

The closer of the night was Generator Ohm, a band I had heard of, but embarrassingly had not actually heard the music of yet. Boy was I in for a treat. The band exploded onto the stage with an energy that drew everyone in the venue to the front of the stage. It must have been hot up there too because Willie had his shirt off by the start of the second song. The sound is reminiscent of At The Drive In before they broke up and formed the shitty Mars Volta. It is stadium rock mixed with an experimental edge that creates pure electricity. Mike Morales’ drums led the power to the point that he knocked a crash symbol right off its stand. Their performance was a class on how to keep an audience entertained and into the set.

Bottom Line: This was a show that I am more than glad I made it to. The community of the bands supporting each other and rocking out to each other’s sets was inspiring and, as I said earlier, is severely lacking in the current NYC music scene. These bands can create something great both with their stunning music and with the attitude they have to the scene in general.

Indie Band Guru recommends you check out all the bands:

www.TheBarrens.Bandcamp.com

www.endand.bandcamp.com

http://generatorohm.bandcamp.com/

http://www.invisibledaysmusic.com/ - Indie Band Guru (indiebandguru.com)