Lunar Divison

According to the numbers, more electric guitars have been sold in the past couple of years than in any other year since the instrument’s creation. So if you ever needed some clear proof that rock music is alive and well, there you have it.

Of course, you could also just check out OKC’s Lunar Division to see that rock is not only still kicking, but still going strong and still fulfilling its eternal duty of providing an outlet for straight-up, in-your-face energy and emotion.

The band’s new album “Phantom,” dropping this Friday, May 13th, runs the rock ‘n’ roll gamut from high-octane headbangers to near-throwback power ballads, all in service of capturing something blunt, genuine, and almost entirely without pretense.

Right out of the gate, there’s an unmistakably “grunge” sound at play, and it’s difficult not to be put in mind of that 90’s alt-rock scene that would have been pouring out of radios all throughout the quartet’s formative years.

According to drummer Brandon Napoleon, that may not have been intended, but it’s always welcome.

“It’s really just what we grew up listening to,” he told me. “We really try not to have any intentions or constraints when it comes to songwriting. It’s just whatever comes out. That 90’s sound is just part of us.”

It’s more than just the specific distorted guitar tones and “Seattle sound” structures, though. It’s the whole attitude and philosophy behind the band’s music.

There’s a raw and unpolished nature in the songwriting itself that recalls everything that listeners first responded to in Nirvana all those years ago. It wasn’t just the energy or the sneering anti-arena rock mentality, it was the marriage of punk rock “warts and all” presentation with the heaviness and mystery of 70s hard rock and the compellingly shy self-awareness of 80s college rock. That was grunge.

And all of those elements are on display throughout “Phantom,” as well, but never as an affectation. Never as a ham-fisted grunge-rocker Halloween costume. Lunar Division don’t wear their influences on their sleeves, because they don’t need to. They just take rock music and run with it down whatever avenue the songs demand.

“These are the most personal songs we’ve ever created,” Napoleon said. “It takes a good deal of trust to lay out an intimate life experience in song form and then for everyone to come on board and bring it to life.”

Intimacy isn’t exactly what you might expect from a band that aims so unflinchingly for hard rock, but it’s a surprisingly apt descriptor. These songs make no effort to hide the pains, confusions, or working class frustrations that spawned them, and they’re each all the better for it.

“Break,” about the frazzled rush to make the most of your allotted personal time at work, could be a novelty track if not for the entirely earnest delivery (and the immediate relation from anyone that’s ever held down a dead end job.) It’s a perfect example of the kind of blatant honesty that Lunar Division are shooting for.

Special mention also goes to second track “Rays” for what might actually be a perfect alt-rock chorus. The way the band tightens up in the track’s opening moments, and how the vocal hook so expertly sets up the syllabically flawless “what do they know that we don’t?” should be enough to get any audience’s fists pumping en masse.

“Phantom” by Lunar Division drops Friday, May 13th, with an official album release show planned for May 14th at Ponyboy.

If you’ve been curious about what kind of power or legitimacy straight-up, old school rock music can have in 2022, you might want to be at that show. - Oklahoma City Free Press

Oklahoma City alt-rock quartet Lunar Division wants to “make you happy if you enjoy authentic rock music.” Members Randy Mitchell (vocals/guitar), Paul Nguyen (guitar), Matt Lanzer (bass), and Brandon Napoleon (drums) channeled their collective energy into the eight tracks of Phantom, their 2022 LP release.

Phantom kicks off with the metal-edged “Your Lights.” Lunar Division lays down a riff that’s a bit evil and dangerous, and they use that as the underlying theme all the way through the track. It doesn’t get boring, though, as the band does a nice job morphing and varying it with push-and-pull dynamics. Metal fans will be sated with this updated take on a classic form.

“Your Lights” sets us up for a metal album, but Lunar Division has much more to offer. Over the course of the next six tracks the band shifts smoothly across rock styles. They touch on grunge (“Rays” / “Break”), indie pop (“Dead to Live”), punk (“Get It Down” / “Lost”). Throughout, Lanzer offers some cool bass riffs (notably the distorted breakdown section in “Get it Down” and the lull-you-in introduction to “Lost”) that interlock with Napoleon’s spot-on drumming. Nguyen’s and Mitchell’s guitar parts and tones vary throughout the album and weave together into a coherent whole. The solo section on “Break” and the coda of “Lost” shined. Mitchell’s vocals suit the band: his voice cuts through the guitars and carries the melodies but brings just enough grit and edge.

The band handles all of these styles with ease, and they work a little of their own flavor and interpretation in. “Lost,” for instance, has a fist-pumping mosh-pit chorus, but they dial the distortion back a few notches, and leave the vocals a bit drier than usual. These (slightly) cleaner guitars and vocals give the track a refreshing immediacy and impact. The engaging “Engine” uses the classic Nirvana form–quiet, introspective verse into a stompbox-distorted, grungy chorus–and it still works. “Dead to Live,” driven by an acoustic guitar in a smooth I-V indie groove, features an almost-pop melody and vocal harmonies. Those acoustic guitars, though, have a little bit of roughness underneath, as if Lunar Division just wants to remind us that they can tune it low and unleash the fury whenever they please.

​They do just that on “What Kills You,” the final track, where Lunar Division bookends the album and moves back to the riff-y, heavy rock of the opener. Over this, Mitchell sings, “once you get what you want / you act like you don’t want it.” I like to think he’s singing to his listener who came for the metal riff-rock, but who stayed for the journey; while they’ve returned to the riffs, Lunar Division has opened another set of ears with their rock authenticity. That’s a fine measure of success - Divide and Conquer

Oklahoma City indie rockers Lunar Division release today their snazzy new EP "Moon Rose" on all digital streaming platforms.

The five-track alternative rock collection practically shimmers with hooks and nostalgia, making it an ideal EP to take you into the first weekend of spring. - The Oklahoman

Lunar Division is back with a new EP entitled Moon Rose. The band composed of Paul Nguyen (guitar), Randy Mitchell (guitar/vocals), Matt Lanzer (bass) and Brandon Napoleon (drums/vocals) has made some strides in terms of their development.

The most notable is the recording quality. They recorded with a professional engineer and the improvements can’t be over emphasized. The difference between their first release and Moon Rose is day and night. It turns out they are a pretty great rock band.

They open with “Sanity” which is a sort of reverb soaked and distorted rock song. There is a good amount of attitude backed by groove that cuts like a knife. I loved the reverb tails on the vocals during the chorus and it is just a killer opening track overall.

“Hold On To” removes the heavy distortion for more of a crunch. This song is catchy and has start and stop type energy to it. It revolves jangly major and minor chords and is fairly simple but well done.

The band rock hard on “Used Up Gun.” It’s more of a punk song in attitude but man they really lay into the chorus. The band get a little funky and prog rock infused on “Fall In Line” while the closer “Neon Sun” is more of a psychedelic swirl and feels more ’7’s influenced with a tinge of Eastern modes. The chorus might be the best on the EP.

​I truly love hearing a band evolve and there’s no doubt to me that’s the case with Lunar Division. They are finding their footing with this release and sound more confident, realized and in the moment. I hope that trajectory continues. Recommended. - Divide and Conquer

Lunar Division are excellent on the often-sad but true single about lost love in their latest single ‘Hold On To‘.

Lunar Division are an Oklahoma City 4-piece indie-rock band who like all proper musicians, love to play live and put on a massive show that you remember for life. With a fantastic fusion they light the candle on a reflective story that digs deep into how sometimes, you can’t always have what you want in life.

The drummer taps his sticks together to signal the start of the song and leads like a train conductor, ensuring the smooth flow of the upcoming journey. With a 70’s type smoothly mixed journey, this is a funky song that gets you in to the mood to sway your body and dust off those live music dancing shoes that might have a little mouse inside them.

‘The drums and bass are the heart of the music as they give energy and intensity to the songs.’- Lunar Division

This is the story about that deep love that you wish would go away sometimes but just doesn’t. The love you have for them is so real and you can’t stop thinking about locking lips together as it was the best feeling you have ever experienced. You wish that they would feel the same way about you, but you know deep down that you can only ever been friends.

‘Hold On To‘ from radical Oklahoma City indie-rock act Lunar Division is a goodbye to the one that got away and the harsh reality of love sometimes. Sometimes, you need to move on get over that person you care so much for, otherwise it consumes you and hanging on is never healthy. You will however, hold onto those sweet memories, and cherish them forever.

Stream this rocking track with soul on Spotify, Soundcloud and follow the guys adventures via FB.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen - A&R Factory

"Lunar Division releases their latest captivating EP, “Moon Rose.” The five-track
alternative/indie rock EP contains every element to get listeners uplifted. "Moon Rose"
takes the listener on a musical journey where the band showcases their eclectic
rawness, infusing indie, alternative rock, and a flare of heavy rock. From the feel-good
“Hold On To” to the energy-infused and guitar crunching “Fall In Line”, Lunar Division
delivers lyrical depth and melodic bliss throughout the EP. “Moon Rose” contains
storytelling lyricism that will hook the listener due to the catchiness and relatability. All
in all, the record radiates a nostalgic sound from the past that guides the vocals.
With a mesmerizing sound, Lunar Division maintains a fully charged arsenal of high-
quality music. The EP was produced by Braden Norris, and the cover was shot by Mahogany Reneè and will be available on all digital streaming platforms on March - Lovers Spit Magazine

On Friday, September 13, OKC band Lunar Division released their self-titled debut album.

This four piece rock band from Oklahoma City put out their first full length album last Friday. The album features their single, “In the Dark,” released on August 30. The album marks the entirety of their music catalog, as the band hasn’t been a part of the scene for very long.

Each song from the album is infused with rock influences. Grinding instruments and growling vocals make the genre clear from the start. The songs also contain the well-known themes of rebellion and dissent; lyrics that highlight these themes are prevalent in each song. Topics like feeling caged or moving in the dark make multiple appearances in support of the centering element of dissent.

Ten songs make up the track-list, each one a complement of another. By the end, the album leaves behind a feeling of empowerment; after hearing the sometimes dark, sometimes hopeful feelings of the band, and mixing it with the upbeat rock tones, you can’t help but feel rejuvenated and connected to the band.

Each song combines the telltale rock elements with the distinct personality of the band to form the unique album, Lunar Division. There’s no other description needed – it’s an album you just have to listen to in order to understand.

Lunar Division will be performing at Your Mom’s Place in OKC on Friday, September 27, with Prismatics and Shoulda Been Blonde. Check them out on all social media and music streaming sites, and be sure to listen to their new album. - Star Catcher Magazine

They plays no frills rock that is easy to appreciate. The band mentions Influences that go all the way from Black Sabbath and Spoon to Arctic Monkeys and Ty Segall. All things considered those bands aren’t too far apart and fall under the umbrella of rock. You can hear this scattered influence throughout as the band dips into a number of sub-genres.

The album starts with “Good Evening” which is a short introduction to the band. It’s comprised of a heavy hitting rhythm section and distorted chords. It’s garage 101 type of stuff that is well implemented, fast and fun. They dive into a classic ’70s rock sound on ”Midnight Train.” It’s a catchy tune with a good amount of attitude that was easy to appreciate. “Places” is a solid song with circular guitar rhythm on the verse and hard-hitting drums.

One of the highlights was “Frequency.” The song is a bit chaotic in a good way and displays a versatile vocal performance. There are a number of highlights as the album progresses including “In the Dark” and “Don’t Tell Me.”

As an engineer I would say one of the areas to concentrate on would be the recording quality. This was a lo-fi home recording which varied in quality. Some songs sounded better than others but thought they did a solid job with the tools they had. I like their songs and think they have some talent. In my opinion, working with an engineer at some point could really tap into the potential of some of these songs.

​Overall, I thought this was a solid debut. The band seem to be having a good amount of fun and that comes across in their music. I’m looking forward to where they go from here. - Divide and Conquer

For a fuller idea of the band’s strengths and range, check out the jangly indie opener “Good Evening”, instrumental rock jam “M.R.”, or proto-punk tinged “Caged” from the debut LP, Lunar Division, available now on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms. - Make Oklahoma Weirder