Metalcore quartet Bad Omens continue to define their sound on album number three…
When Bad Omens released their eponymous debut album in 2016, they sounded a little too close to Sempiternal-era Bring Me The Horizon for comfort. Throw in a bizarre row with proposed tourmates The Amity Affliction and Senses Fail that appeared to revolve around the font size on a tour poster, and the omens weren’t great for the band to become a metalcore fixture. Follow-up Finding God Before God Finds Me was a bold step forward, though, and new album The Death of Peace of Mind finds the Virginians really starting to stamp their own mark on proceedings.
Opener Concrete Jungle sets the scene well, with atmospheric synths building slowly towards a heavier, harsher, almost industrial slam. Nowhere To Go ups the tempo and ushers in a huge chorus – something the album as a whole certainly isn’t short of. Like A Villain is a case in point, positioning its hooks amidst strategically placed nu-metal riffs and more shimmering synths. It’s not all about the anthems, though, as the title-track showcases a more sparse and fragile sound before bringing back the aggression.
If the band had been a little more compact, this would have been excellent. There’s a major dip in the middle of this 15-song collection however, in terms of both pacing and memorable songs, and it seriously stills the momentum. Luckily, they finish strong with the retro-futuristic synthwave groove of What Do You Want From Me? and the album’s most aggressive cut in the abrasive Artificial Suicide.
It's not a perfect album, but Bad Omens take another big step into their own sound and the portents are far more positive.
Verdict: 3/5
For fans of: Bring Me The Horizon, Polaris, Northlane
The Death Of Peace Of Mind is out now via Sumerian
