About Tri-Cities’ EVA, the popular alternative metal band, and the upcoming ‘OPIA’ album

When observing a music scene, it doesn’t take long to pick up on a few things. Like how long it takes for music to start after doors open, or where mosh pits form, or which shows will sell out.

In Tri-Cities, it’s quickly clear how much the local scene values metal music. Metal shows do well, with fans consistently showing up and supporting the bands.

With metal crowds, it’s not hard to tell when the audience is really into the music — the moshing speaks for itself.

One band that has had several successful shows this year and is increasingly popular, is EVA. Following a successful year on stage, they’re releasing their debut album this month and shared an advance copy with the Herald for preview.

About Tri-Cities band EVA

EVA, pronounced like the name Ava, includes 21-year-old Austin Schmitt on vocals and rhythm guitar, 21-year-old Moises (or Moi) Richardson on guitar, 22-year-old Ethan Strobel on bass and 48-year-old Jeff Gonzales (who happens to be Schmitt’s father) on drums.

Since emerging onto the scene, EVA has garnered a growing fanbase. The band’s first show was at Ray’s Golden Lion in January.

EVA has done many more shows in the time since, here and elsewhere in the region, including Walla Walla and Spokane. Local metalheads look forward to EVA’s concerts, ready to support the Tri-Cities talent.

EVA shows consist of the band members concealing their faces with masks or wrappings for the duration of the concert. Whether this is a separation from their off-stage identities, a move to focus on the music, or a larger metaphor, it’s an identifying factor of an EVA performance.

If you’ve been to any EVA shows, you may have heard a single or two from the upcoming album, like one of their most popular songs, “Skin.”

But the band expands on their discography quite a bit with the debut album, showing fans they’re capable of a full, cohesive project. EVA shows the best of their abilities as a band and as individuals in “OPIA.”

“We definitely had a lot of fun working on the project, we were working on it for a good year or so and we’re just really excited to finally have it ready for everyone to hear,” Schmitt told the Herald. “I think it’s a really solid debut, and we want to thank Dave over at Thunderdome Studios for putting it all together. And to the fans, we really appreciate you and Ray’s Golden Lion for giving us the chance to be heard.”

EVA album ‘OPIA’ coming soon

The band’s 10-track album speaks to fans of ‘90s alternative metal, with more melodic songs as well as metal, with quick drum beats, hefty guitar riffs and intense screams.

The track list includes:

• Bump
• Crystal Ball
• Phlegm
• Marching
• Echos
• Whispers in the Fog
• Opia
• Paradigm
• Skin
• RE: Rebirth

The album is just over half an hour long. There are several subgenres it fits into, including industrial metal, progressive metal and shoegaze metal.

“‘OPIA” captures the intense, vulnerable feeling of looking into someone’s eyes and the raw connection that comes with it,” the band posted on social media. “This album is a journey through that closeness and all the emotions that surface.”

There are some ever-present aspects in newer metal music, staples of the average metal sound in the 2020s that differ from older metal. “OPIA” finds the balance between modern metal and the genre as it existed in the ‘90s and 2000s, using the best elements from both time periods.

As is expected in metal, the drums are really put to work. However, the songs are not drum-dependent, which speaks to the strength of both the drummer (Gonzales), for an ability to match the direction of his bandmates, and the other members, for meeting the high-intensity drums with equally valuable layers.

The guitar and bass riffs are captivating through the tempo changes, from the slower melodies to the more high-tempo sequences. The melodies compliment Schmitt’s vocals well. Each song clearly has its own vision, which is evident in the production.

The album features contrasting sounds and emotions throughout. “OPIA” starts with a quick guitar riff, and ends with the sound of soft background noise fading out.

The third track, “Phlegm,” begins with an energetic, breathy verse from Schmitt, but its chorus features a lighter melody. It’s followed by “Marching,” which is one of the slower tracks. The song really highlights Schmitt’s capabilities as a vocalist, as he reaches higher notes and sustains melodies longer.

But you won’t miss his screaming for long, as “Marching” is followed by “Echos,” which highlights classic metal riffs and screams right at the top.

Listening to the album all the way through showcases the range of each musician, and the band as a whole.

“OPIA” will be released to the public Dec. 20. You can find it on all streaming platforms.

Karlee Van De Venter is a full-time reporter at the Tri-City Herald who contributes Arts and Entertainment coverage for Tumbleweird. Through a co-publication agreement, this content may also appear in Tumbleweird.