Interview: Flight of Odin

Flight of Odin: Vocalist/lyricist Xyra founded and named Flight of Odin in 2015. There’s a funny story about how the original members met…

In the summer of 2015, Xyra and classically trained keyboardist Andrew Cann went to see Mike Karagiannis play in a 1980s-tribute band called Hair Raid. The purpose of this visit was to audition Mike for the band Xyra was trying to put together. It so happened that drummer Kenny Finger was sitting in the booth behind them when he loudly exclaimed, “I want to join an original band, and I don’t care if they have a chick (girl) singer!” On hearing this, Xyra quickly passed a note to him saying, “Well, we are putting an original band together and are looking for a drummer.” Kenny and Mike joined Xyra and Andrew at their table, and the four made plans to meet at Mike’s place for a try-out rehearsal. A bass player they auditioned quit after two practices. So, Mike handed Andrew a bass, and said, “If you can play Chopin, you can play bass.”

Since then, the band has undergone several lineup changes before arriving at its current incarnation, evolving into the Melodic Psychedelic Doom Metal genre you hear today.

With our first album, The Only Door, Flight of Odin cobbled a retro-1970s melodic hard rock sound, interwoven with lyrical references from sociological themes to occult references that carry over into the lyrics to date.

Flight of Odin has a diverse musical history, from classical training to attending concerts by artists one admires, to grasping at shadows trying to define one’s own, elusive genre… seeking a niche… a place in a musical community to call home. If fate allows, one will attract like-minded people.

That’s what has happened with our current lineup. We get together and the music flows through us. We feel blessed and fortunate that we have found the right combination of abilities and personalities.

Our recent shift to a Doom genre was influenced in part by Flight of Odin’s drummer and Doom Metal enthusiast Kenny Finger. The addition of prodigy guitarist Tyler Beddow has further enhanced the sound by contributing his uniquely creative input and advanced technical skills.

Classically oriented keyboard offerings by multi-instrumentalist Andrew Cann, and Xyra’s 4-octave vocal range seemed to fall naturally into this genre, perhaps akin to the Scandinavian band Nightwish.

Flight of Odin: Xyra has had an interest in Norse Lore and the Nordic Runes, which inspired the name. According to legend, the Norse God Odin rode a flying horse with eight legs named Sleipnir. The band had four members whose music would surely take flight. Thus, Xyra thought the name Flight of Odin fit the band’s premise.

Flight of Odin: In 2015, our original guitarist, Mike Karagiannis brought a 1980s shredder-style influence that served us well for a time. After Mike relocated to South Carolina, the remaining core members had to rethink our fate, decide who we really are and what direction we should take.

On Disc 2 of I Traveled the Crooked Path you will find three remastered tracks from our digital EP called Goddess in Smoke. The two guitarists from that lineup, Andy Paul and Dan Kolcun followed a different path, as did violinist Chelle Fulk who is primarily a studio session musician.

Fortunately, shortly thereafter we discovered guitarist Tyler who has helped propel our sound to a new level core members Xyra, Andrew and Kenny had only envisioned prior to Tyler’s inclusion.

Flight of Odin: “Melodic Psychedelic Doom Metal” seems to suit us well.

Philosophically, our aim as a band is to be authentic… true to ourselves, creating without pretense, music that takes listeners on an atmospheric, inspiring sonic journey.

A fan described Flight of Odin as: “Heart meets Black Sabbath on the one hand, and Dead Can Dance meets The Doors on the other, cliffhanging with Pink Floyd and the mystical side of Led Zeppelin.”

Flight of Odin: Distinctive

Flight of Odin: The decision to release a double album came down to having a large amount of material that we wanted to properly document. Since Disc 2 includes material from our Goddess in Smoke EP lineup, the album represents important chapters in our musical history, while effectively showcasing the band’s evolution.

I Traveled the Crooked Path may denote a journey through human consciousness. Most of us travel a crooked path of trials and tribulations. This pertains especially to those with curious minds and adventurous souls.

Lyrics to the title track I Traveled the Crooked Path were inspired in part by Silent as the Trees… a book that explores ancient witchcraft still being practiced in remote areas of Devonshire England.

The lyrics also refer to an actual experience Xyra had at Tintagel Castle on the North Atlantic Coast of England, which, according to lore, was home to King Arthur and the infamous magician, Merlin. While visiting the castle, Xyra entered Merlin’s cave situated facing the ocean. While inside the cave, as the tide was approaching, she retrieved from the sand what she calls “The Merlin Stone.”

Flight of Odin: Xyra is the conjurer of our music videos. To begin, she drops .wav files of our music into an app called iMovie, adding video snippets and sequences she creates with GROK Imagine. She adjusts each set of images manually within iMovie, following the rhythm of each song. The title cut video you asked about was her first attempt at including video snippets with band images and whimsical stills. Here is the video for your viewing pleasure:

Watch the title track video →

Flight of Odin: We have a collection of material we are currently developing toward an album slated for early 2027. We will return to BIAS Recording Studios in January to record, mix and master the first four of those songs.

Flight of Odin is not a gigging or touring band, per se, but plan to make rehearsal and candid band videos to add to our YouTube channel. Xyra has ideas for a Doom Metal Opera with amazing visual effects and costuming. The [impossible?] dream is to someday perform the opera at The Royal Albert Hall, perhaps including other Doom Metal artists.

Flight of Odin: We might choose the mythical horse, Pegasus… who can travel freely throughout the mystical, magical realms of whimsy.

Flight of Odin: Dear fans and readers of HINTF!

We are so happy you have found us and we have found you! May we take a sonic journey together, “through shadowed corridors of emotion, myth, introspection, and transcendence.”

Cheers and Best Wishes!
Thanks for your time.
Flight of Odin thanks YOU, Miguel!