Moon Destroys have a new singer, a new album and, to some extent, a different way of doing things. She Walks By Moonlight had plenty of room for hazy, drawn-out passages, whereas OMNI gets to the songs more quickly. The guitars are still thick with fuzz, the atmosphere is still there, but the melodies are harder to miss this time around. And with Zach Amster (Abrams) taking over vocal duties, the band have found a slightly different voice for their music.
That last point matters. Juan Montoya has never been short of good riffs, and his time in Torche is an obvious part of the band’s background. But a riff alone doesn’t explain why Moon Destroys work. There’s a pop instinct lurking beneath all that distortion, and Amster brings it closer to the surface. Songs such as “Flowers” have hooks that stay with you, while the heavier guitars keep things from getting too sweet. It’s an unusual balance, though not one the band have stumbled upon by accident.
Evan Diprima deserves credit here, too. Besides playing drums and bass, he handles the synths, which add quite a bit to the record’s character. They’re not just there to make the music sound more cosmic. They change the mood around the riffs, sometimes pushing the songs into darker territory without turning everything into a slow, gloomy slog. “My Eyes” is a good example of how those extra layers help Moon Destroys stand apart from a straightforward heavy rock band.
The album doesn’t need to be crushing all the time. In fact, the more melodic approach suits these musicians. “Motion Sickness” brings some extra bite, while “Sowing Stars” leans into the band’s knack for combining atmosphere with a memorable tune. There’s enough variation across the record to keep the fuzz from becoming monotonous, even if not every idea makes the same impression.
The change in direction does come with a small price. OMNI is easier to get into than its predecessor, but it also feels less mysterious. The songs are more immediate, the hooks more obvious, and some of that wandering, slightly disorienting quality has taken a back seat. Whether that’s an improvement will probably depend on what you liked about the previous album. Personally, the more focused songwriting makes sense for a band with this much melodic potential, even if it occasionally leaves you wanting a little more strangeness.
“Lost Hearts” and “She Cried” close things on a more subdued note, with the latter giving the album a quieter, more vulnerable finish. It’s a fitting way to end a record that isn’t interested in being heavy every second of the day.
With OMNI, Moon Destroys haven’t thrown away what made She Walks By Moonlight interesting. They’ve trimmed some of the excess and put the songs first. Montoya’s guitar still provides the muscle, but the vocals and synths give the music another dimension. The result is a strong heavy rock record with a good ear for melody and enough grit left in the guitars to keep it from turning into something too polished.
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Released by Blues Funeral Recordings on September 4th, 2026
