BIO

Low Flying Hawks always looked for inspiration beyond the confines of their borders in Mexico City. Even though the band hail from the most populous city in North America, they sought creative fodder from around the world. Sonic cohorts EHA (lead vocals, guitar) and AAL (guitar, vocals) combed independent record shops and secondhand stores for albums, poured over liner notes to see which artists were thanked by their favorite bands, and shelled out a pretty penny to import records. Their search instigated a powerful signature sound, blending gritty groove-laden drone with European doom and electronic music, Scandinavian menace, and the right dose of American rock. Anchored by the ironclad rhythm section of drummer Dale Crover [Melvins] and bassist Trevor Dunn [Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk, Melvins], their music transfixes and roars. 

Making waves and earning praise from Revolver, Consequence of Sound, Vice, and many more, the band captivate with their 2024 fourth full-length offering, MAKEBELIEVE.

“When we were kids, Mexico City was a totally different place from what it is now,” observes EHA. “In the last six years, it’s completely changed. It wasn’t as developed. Following the sixties and seventies, it was a politically dark period in Mexico with a lot of strange things going on. We were always big fans of music, but we had to wait months to get records because it took a long time and was expensive to import them. As a result, we resorted to other undergrounds and cultures to create our own world based of a fantasy of what we thought heavy music should be.”

As the story goes, EHA and AAL cultivated their chemistry by performing in various high school bands. They bonded over influences, ranging from Paradise Lost, My Dying Bride, and Anathema to Aphex Twin, and Black Sabbath. In 2014, the longtime friends brought Low Flying Hawks to life, fulfilling a clear vision.

“We try to make very aggressive, slow-paced, cosmic, and crushing rock music,” notes AAL. “The sound is heavy, but there are melodies hidden deep.”

They attracted producer extraordinaire Toshi Kasai to their corner as well as Crover and Dunn, shocking their first trilogy of records to life. Low Flying Hawks delivered the triptych of Kofuku [2015], Genkaku [2017], and FUYU [2021] to acclaim. Revolver attested, “Low Flying Hawks were never going to be a one-trick pony,” and Consequence hailed them as “metallic droning bliss at its finest.” 

Throughout 2021 and 2022, EHA and AAL hunkered down and recorded what would become MAKEBELIEVE. This time around, they worked in both Mexico City and Los Angeles with Toshi, experimenting with various pedals, amps, and other sounds in the process.

“We don’t want to give people the same thing we’ve given them for the last three albums,” EHA goes on. “On MAKEBELIEVE, we used amps and pedals we’ve never used before. The whole idea was to make it more crushing.”

On the opener and first single “Out For Blood,” lead guitar cries out over a punchy riff, while gutturally throaty vocals weigh heavy on a bulletproof drumbeat. It climaxes with a plea, “Let the leaves break our fall.”

 “The record is about how the world changed when everyone started not believing anything and being very aggressive,” notes AAL. “Everything was peaceful, and suddenly everyone was barking back. It goes deeper too. With A.I., you just don’t know what to believe. It’s like the world was out for blood. Who did this? Why is it happening? Everything settled, and we all surrendered to the idea of being held hostage.”

“It was a weird time,” agrees EHA. “When it was done, nobody talked about it anymore. People just forgot. First, you’re out for blood, and then it’s fine. That’s humanity.”

Cinematic strings and funereal organ set the tone for the seven minute-plus epic “Vampire.” Trudging riffage lumbers beneath a cathartic howl as Low Flying Hawks sink their teeth into an evocative and enigmatic melody.

“It really taps into the elegance of darkness,” grins Alexander. “It’s a special composition for us.”

“Bridges” connects with an exorcism of emotion through distortion. Then, there’s “Old Country.” Stretching to almost eight minutes, it twists, turns, and careens through a minefield of alternately introspective and explosive moments. The record concludes with the fiery finale “Move On.” It builds towards a concentrated burst of gritty instrumentation, thrash intensity, and blood-boiling vocal delivery.

“You’re moving on in life,” EHA continues. “With ‘Out For Blood’ discussing violence at the beginning, it makes sense to end with ‘Move On’. You have to keep going. I’ve been in therapy for a longtime, and my wife is a psychoanalyst. You need to question your thoughts and everything going on in order to grow. Everything happens for a reason, and it happens for you and not against you.”

“Focus on your life and yourself and move on,” AAL adds. “We never did anything like this in terms of the groove and rhythm. It’s another new direction.”

In the end, Low Flying Hawks strike a chord by holding nothing back.

“We’re sharing our feelings in our art, and the music and lyrics are up for interpretation,” EHA leaves off. “I hope you listen to it multiple times. It’s not a record you’ll get on the first listen. The more complex art is, the more time it takes and the more rewarding it is. We try to make records you’ll be rewarded by for a long time to come.”