Who is Sonic Odyssey?

Sonic Odyssey is the brainchild of Zachary Darrel Randall, a musician, gear addict, and chronic overthinker of tone who has spent decades crawling around the underbelly of music production like some sort of sonic cryptid. Equal parts creative and curmudgeon, Zachary has made it his life’s mission to understand why one EQ plugin sounds like angel tears and another sounds like a digital cheese grater—and to loudly complain about both.

His journey into the world of music began in early childhood, loitering around rehearsals and gigs like an unpaid roadie-in-training. The family band—featuring his father Wendell (rhythm guitar, backing vocals, and resident wordsmith), uncle Ricky (lead guitar and vocals), and uncle Bob (bass and sarcasm)—served as a crash course in live sound, stage logistics, and the ancient art of Not Touching the Drummer's Nicely Polished Snare. Gear hauling, meanwhile, was elevated to something between a rite of passage and an Olympic event—equal parts sweat, strategy, and the occasional existential crisis while trying to wedge a bass cab through a door frame designed by a sadist. Much of this chaos unfolded in the family's lovingly cobbled-together rehearsal space: a repurposed chicken coop known alternately as The Cardboard Studio or El Sleazo Lounge, depending on how generous—or sarcastic—you were feeling that day. Winters were particularly memorable (read: borderline toxic), thanks to kerosene heaters that filled the room with both warmth and the unmistakable scent of imminent lung and brain damage.^[1]

At one point, he flirted with a career in sports broadcasting, aiming to become the next great NBA commentator—until he realized that watching basketball professionally might actually ruin basketball. (Also, Shawn Marion was hogging all the glory at his junior college.) He bailed on that dream, fell headlong into computer science, and spent years slinging code at startups and agencies. But music remained the siren call he couldn’t ignore, slowly pulling him back into songwriting, production, and the glorious madness of recording at 2 a.m. because a snare sounded "a little too judgmental."

Zachary has released six self-produced albums spanning his bands Antitheist, Northern Crown^[2], and Miasma Theory—each rooted in a distinct blend of Black Metal, Epic Doom, Traditional Heavy Metal, and Prog. A constant thread through all of these projects is bassist Leona Hayward, his longtime friend and collaborator. Described as "Geezer Butler if he'd been exposed to platinum kryptonite,"^[3] Leona's bass work delivers both groove and gravity, anchoring each song with precision and force. Her presence has been pivotal to the sound and spirit of every release. Together, they've built a catalog of music that reflects Zachary's evolving vision—one steeped in tonecraft, storytelling, and relentless sonic exploration.

From tracking and mixing to plugin testing and analog gear design, his work reflects both precision and emotion. As a songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist, he brings a musical perspective to every technical decision. He also designs and builds analog audio gear including pedals, amps, and studio tools, further deepening his understanding of how sound is shaped at the circuit level. Whether it’s soldering circuits or chasing down the perfect reverb tail (not a metaphor—probably), his approach blends hands-on experience with a relentless curiosity for what makes great sound. When he's not busy working (who are we kidding, he's ALWAYS working), he likes drinking wine and watching basketball with his cats Onyx, Orchid, Lillith, and Melissa (yes, the cats drink wine, too).

What is Sonic Odyssey?

Sonic Odyssey is an independent music production blog and gear resource built for producers, engineers, musicians, and audio obsessives. While its creator is an eternal devotee of the dark metal arts, Sonic Odyssey celebrates the full spectrum of sound. (Well, except modern country. Sorry, not sorry. Not sorry one fucking bit.) The mission here is to help all up-and-coming producers and musicians hone their craft, no matter the genre—because great music transcends labels and distortion pedals alike. It exists to cut through the noise and provide practical, experience-driven insights into the world of audio creation. That means no $60 PDFs filled with recycled YouTube advice and half-baked music theory copy-pasted from a high school textbook. If premium content ever shows up here, it'll be worth the price—and not just because it has a shiny logo slapped on the front.

This site is committed to:

• Offering honest, in-depth gear reviews without hype
• Sharing production tips from a lifetime of experience that actually improve your workflow and sound
• Exploring creative techniques that help artists find their voice
• Highlighting the tools and deals that are truly worth your time

Sonic Odyssey values clarity, curiosity, and craftsmanship. It’s not about being first or loudest—it’s about being useful. Every article is written with care and aimed at helping readers make more confident choices in their musical journey. Whether you’re chasing vibe, clarity, or just a signal path that doesn’t make you want to scream (or contrarily, DOES want to make you scream), Sonic Odyssey’s here to help you dial it in — without needing to sacrifice a goat to your compressor..

This site includes affiliate links, which means a small commission may be earned if purchases are made through them. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, and I never recommend gear I wouldn’t use myself.

Thanks for being here.