Hawkeyes

Hawkeyes is an instrumental psychedelic doom group from Kitchener, Ontario. The band forms around guitarist P.F., bassist Blackout and drummer S.S., later joined by guitarists R.A., Kaiser and Streetknife. Its members use the names PF, StreetKnife, RA, Blackout, SS and Kaiser.

Style and approach

Hawkeyes work with a heavy psychedelic rock sound that draws on space rock, doom metal and psychedelic doom. The group avoids traditional song structure and focuses instead on volume, extended duration and dense, monolithic arrangements. Their music is also shaped by a strong interest in fuzz effects and heavily processed guitar tones.

Background and influences

The band is associated with a shared idea of “Tune Down, Turn Up”, which captures its low-tuned, high-volume style. Their sound is influenced by Electric Wizard and by a stoned, apocalyptic strain of doom metal. Hawkeyes also describe their music in cosmic terms, presenting it as a form of space-doom with a strong instrumental emphasis.

Line-up

The group’s core line-up consists of P.F., Blackout and S.S., with R.A., Kaiser and Streetknife added on guitar. This expanded line-up contributes to the band’s layered, heavy sound.