Phonebook Eater
7/10
"Omnio" is full grimness and gothic moments.
When I listened to this for the first time I was very impressed, because of it's originality and darkness. I still was the last time I heard this album.
"Omnio" is an extremely dark album, gothic, creepy, with lo fi guitars and vocals ( many times though the woman singing is not) Also very impressive the fact that this band comes from Norway, the land of obscure bands such as Motorpsycho, Green Carnation, Gazpacho, Ulver and Ihsanh. The first track "299 796km/s" is most definitely the best song in the whole album.After the beautiful and dark piano intro, the guitars come in, playing a few chords that would touch anybody who listens to it, with it's unbelievable grimness. The song has many themes, that are all contained in this 14 minute masterpiece. Another memorable moment is when the girl starts singing, creating a more gothic and less epic sound.
The second and third track are not as good as the first one, but still pretty good. " I Am Your Flesh" is unexpectedly heavy, but the atmosphere is not as magic and effective. "Kairos!" is a short song with a nice melody, but nothing more.
"Weeping Willow" is the 11 track piece that stays exactly between he first part of the album and the "Omnio" trilogy. Even this is not as good as "299", but there are many amazing moments, like the last four minutes, where their taste for dark music is highlighted. In the middle of the song I noticed it kind of loses itself.
the "Omnio" suite is another highlight of the album, formed by the three pieces "Pre", the longest and probably the best piece of the suite, because of the incredible use of highly emotive vocals and guitars, completely new in this album. "Bardo" is a five minute semi ambient piece, excellent for connecting "Pre" to "Post", the last song of the album, that closes it beautifully and with all the elements such as grimness and dark melodies that characterized "In The Woods..." second album.
Despite all the grimness that I insisted on, the album is even full of classic heavy metal, like the guitars in many pieces. A really good album, essential for anyone who loves Progressive and Avant Garde Metal.