Aviations Cozies up to Metal with 11-Minute 'Outliers'

There are three hashtags at the bottom of the YouTube page for the song "Outliers," by the band Aviations. The first two are #aviationsband and #progressivemetal—pretty standard. But the last one is a bit surprising: #cozymetal. 

Cozy metal is a kind of metal that gives you a nice, warm feeling, says Aviations drummer and songwriter James Knoerl B.M. '15. "It makes you feel warm and, like, satisfied. I feel like you could listen to 'Outliers' next to a campfire, drinking tea, with a cat on your lap," he says. Knoerl is one of four alumni in the six-person band, which includes Adam Benjamin B.M. '15 on vocals; Sam Harchik B.M. '15 on guitar; Eric Palmer B.M. '16 on guitar; Werner Erkelens on bass; and Richard Blumenthal on piano. Find them on social media at @aviationsband. 

"Outliers," an 11-minute prog metal epic, has racked up views and listens on streaming platforms. The song started picking up traction after getting noticed in the online metal reaction community. Take a listen.