Customer Reviews

Omnio

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an underated band and desreves alot more attention then what they get. I ordered this album online without really knowing anything about this band except for the fact that Tchort was involved and from the opening track I knew I would love it. The atmosphere throughout the whole album is similar to Green Carnation, except with more female vocals, and this is not a bad thing. It is a strong album that surpassed my expectations and I recommend this for anyone into Gothic Metal, Prog, or just Metal in general.

Then you will LOVE this. These songs seem to fall in between Green Carnations Light of Day, Day of Darness and Blessing in Disguise albums. It has semi-long songs (6 to 10 minutes) and is pretty heavys sometimes but has the same vocals as Green Carnation, plus the involvment of Tchort, who is really talented. GET THIS NOW!

Epic and grand, proficient and masterful, this is easily one of the very best albums put out by the European metal group. Making an attempt to describe the band is useless, they are too original to give a description to. Imagine Arcturus' La Masquerade Infernale with the lack of that band's preference to purely run in the roundabouts in pandemonium or Green Carnation with more tempo variations and more orchestration. If they have influences, there must be so many that when mixed together they create something wholeheartedly original. The opening track, "299,692 km/s" (for all you Americans who don't know what this is, that is the speed of light in km rather than miles) employs a string quartet in several spots of the fifteen-minute song with a truly amazing spot starting at the twelve-minute mark followed by a wonderful topper by way of guitar harmonies.

All of their songs flow seamlessly and I would venture a guess that In The Woods was a major influence in Emperor's ex-member Tchort's band Green Carnation (aside from the members helping out with the recording). The female vocalist, known as Synne Soprana (as far as I know, they don't include information about the members in the album sleeves) has one of the two best voices in metal today (the other being, of course, Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering). The other plus is that their lyrics are wonderfully poetic without succumbing to pretensions.

I have owned this CD for over four years now (this being 2003) and it never fails to disappoint, get old or tiresome. As long as you don't require screeching black metal vocals and throwaway riffs to make your music listening experience fulfilling, these are the elite among the underrated talented artists who musical collaboration ended far too soon. Buy this. This is music for the intelligent and all willing to make the mental venture will be rewarded greatly with satisfaction.

5/5 and for good reason.

Enigmatic, ethereal, entrancing. The music of _Omnio_ immediately exudes an otherworldly quality, the compositions seem impossibly disparate and unfocused, the sonic tapestry almost willfully obscure. Guitars churn, male and female vocals compete and work together in tandem, electronic atmospherics lend the whole a unique edge. Time reveals all however.

The opener, speed of light, is a mesmerizing joureny. A sublime orchestral motif dominates the song, the reprise at the end being the powerful highlight. Everything the record will offer is introduced: atmospheric, complex soundscapes, bizzare and idiosyncratic vocals, sophisticated melodies. Each track, however, surprises in some way. On this first track, two short moments of supreme heaviness accrue incredible power due to their very isolation. The second track 'I Am Your Flesh' is a stunning about face, being confrontational metal with an esoteric edge, particularly the crazy vocals and the highly minimal breakdown. The most accessible track on _Omnio_, it possesses some wonderful melodies and the guitar work is at its most compelling and intricate. Juxtapose this with 'Weeping Willow' a lengthy gothic-atmopsheroic metal workout, which strives for and attains an air of nebulous beauty and impenetrability.

The undispited highlight, however, is the 3 part title track which runs from visceral metal through electronic ambience (think _Heroes_ Bowie and Eno) to a stunning, cathartic conclusion twenty minutes later.

A stunning achievement, _Omnio_ gains much from its unclassifiable nature and completely original approach. Its an audacious record, and one could characterize its uncompromising nature in the fact that this former black metal band use only two growls throughout, and one comes at the slowly attained climax of an ambient electronic piece. Each facet just serves to highlight the fact that _Omnio_ is a transcendent masterpiece.

Epic and grand, proficient and masterful, this is easily one of the very best albums put out by the European metal scene. Making an attempt to describe the band is useless, they are too original to give a description to. Imagine Arcturus' La Masquerade Infernale with the lack of that band's preference to purely run in the roundabouts in pandemonium or Green Carnation with more tempo variations and more orchestration. If they have influences, there must be so many that when mixed together they create something wholeheartedly original. The opening track, "299,692 km/s" (for all you Americans who don't know what this is, that is the speed of light in km rather than miles) employs a string quartet in several spots of the fifteen-minute song with a truly amazing spot starting at the twelve-minute mark followed by a wonderful topper by way of guitar harmonies.

All of their songs flow seamlessly and I would venture a guess that In The Woods was a major influence in Emperor's ex-member Tchort's band Green Carnation (aside from the members helping out with the recording). The female vocalist, known as Synne Soprana (as far as I know, they don't include information about the members in the album sleeves) has one of the two best voices in metal today (the other being, of course, Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering). The other plus is that their lyrics are wonderfully poetic without succumbing to pretensions.

I have owned this CD for over four years now (this being 2003) and it never fails to disappoint, get old or tiresome. As long as you don't require screeching black metal vocals and throwaway riffs to make your music listening experience fulfilling, these are the elite among the underrated talented artists whose musical collaboration ended far too soon. Buy this. This is music for the intelligent and all willing to make the mental venture will be rewarded greatly with satisfaction.

5/5 and for good reason.

Being a huge fan of Green Carnation and Agalloch, I decided to pick up this album and their "Heart Of The Ages" album at the same time. Honestly, this album seems like exactly what you would get when you cross those two bands. Impressed? Yes, overall this album was pretty awesome. The dark atmosphere was perfectly created. The female vocals in my opinion were better than the male vocals. A five star review is out of the question because the male vocals in fact were not very impressive at all. At times, I was so impressed with the background elements that I just wished the male vocals would just stop. Overall though, this album was a great purchase and is a must have for any fans of Agalloch, Green Carnation, or Katatonia.

Epic and grand, proficient and masterful, this is easily one of the very best albums put out by the European metal scene. Making an attempt to describe the band is useless, they are too original to give a description to. Imagine Arcturus' La Masquerade Infernale with the lack of that band's preference to purely run in the roundabouts in pandemonium or Green Carnation with more tempo variations and more orchestration. If they have influences, there must be so many that when mixed together they create something wholeheartedly original. The opening track, "299,692 km/s" (for all you Americans who don't know what this is, that is the speed of light in km rather than miles) employs a string quartet in several spots of the fifteen-minute song with a truly amazing spot starting at the twelve-minute mark followed by a wonderful topper by way of guitar harmonies.

All of their songs flow seamlessly and I would venture a guess that In The Woods was a major influence in Emperor's ex-member Tchort's band Green Carnation (aside from the members helping out with the recording). The female vocalist, known as Synne Soprana (as far as I know, they don't include information about the members in the album sleeves) has one of the two best voices in metal today (the other being, of course, Anneke van Giersbergen from The Gathering). The other plus is that their lyrics are wonderfully poetic without succumbing to pretensions.

I have owned this CD for over four years now (this being 2003) and it never fails to disappoint, get old or tiresome. As long as you don't require screeching black metal vocals and throwaway riffs to make your music listening experience fulfilling, these are the elite among the underrated talented artists whose musical collaboration ended far too soon. Buy this. This is music for the intelligent and all willing to make the mental venture will be rewarded greatly with satisfaction.

5/5 and for good reason.