Since 2022, the NYC band OLTH has been delivering a reliably brutal brand of screamo up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Their new record, O., continues that streak. It’s chaotic and imaginative, throwing curveballs without losing sight of the mission. It’s a record good enough that I would recommend it to any old head in their mid-40s who is curious about the state of the scene. Could you add it to the emo-violence canon? I think so. I sent some questions over to the band, who responded over email. Read it, and listen to O., below.

It’s been almost two years since your last release. What have you been up to in that time?

Danny: Reading.

Malcolm: I moved to California.

Sean: I’ve been collecting Marvel Legends, mostly classic Avengers. Lots of yoga. Practicing the sacred ritual of tattooing. 

Dean: Curry Painting.

You made this new record at Studio G in Greenpoint. That’s a pretty nice spot. What was that experience like?

Danny: Fucking amazing. Shout out to Hayden for making sure our session was super productive and comfortable. 

Ben: Really efficient, fun, and eye-opening.

Dean: Matt Labozza is brilliant. He’s engineered and mixed all of our music. Huge credit to him on the production of this record. Shoutout Krish. 

The people want to know: Is Olth an orange belt screamo band?

Danny: Do people actually want to know that?

Sean: What’s screamo?

Ben: Go Mets.

Malcolm: Go Mets!

Dean: BB belt screamo.

On a somewhat similar tip: What is the song “GOODBYE SCREAMO” about?

Malcolm: If you say goodbye, you can say hello next!

And to end the trilogy of screamo-related questions: Who are some screamo OGs that have inspired your band? 

Danny: Textbook Traitors, Majority Rule, and Welcome the Plague Year, as far as screamo screamo goes. Outside that sphere, I was fucking with like Veil of Maya and From a Second Story Window when I wrote some of the freakier riffs on this one. Even further afield, the first Kayo Dot record, Choirs of the Eye, is always a big influence on how I like to structure songs.

Malcolm: I think there’s an argument to be made that Void is the OG of OGs when it comes to alotta this “chaotic hardcore” stuff, and they are one of the most inspiring bands of all time to me! 

Dean: Naked City. 

During your time playing as Olth, have you observed moshing styles develop or remain static?

Danny: It’s gotten quite a bit more predictable. A couple years ago people were really random with it. The karate style/Japanese hardcore type moshing is pretty dominant now. Try doing ballet or something weirder with it!

Malcolm: I would love to see more insane gravity defying stage dives/headwalks, where afterwards you don't even land on the ground but fly off into the sky.

Sean: Mosher's been asleep. Time to wake up.

How do you like to relax after a long band practice, studio session, or rock show? 

Danny: Competitive Magic the Gathering YouTube content.

Malcolm: Rick Steves on European adventures! 

Sean: Place kava powder into a mesh strainer bag or piece of muslin cloth. Submerge the bag in a bowl of warm water (not boiling). Knead and squeeze the bag for 10–15 minutes until the water is opaque and brown. Squeeze the bag thoroughly to extract all liquid, then discard the pulp. Serve the liquid in a bowl or shell. 

Ben: Me and Danny sing to each other on the phone.

Dean: Marlboro Light Bud Light. 

You once played with RXK Nephew. How did that go?

Ben: I don’t remember

Danny: Nor do I. I’ve fully repressed the memory.

Malcolm: I left before he played ‘cuz I had work the next day.

Dean: His set was like two hours and I stage dove. Thank you RXKnephew. Album three Crack Records. 

(Photo Credit: Tom Pavlich)