Record of the Week: Bad Omens’ ‘Death of Peace of Mind’

Metalcore bands get a pretty poor treatment from critics. The dedicated metal press finds them too soft and commercial, whereas the mainstream music press isn’t that interested in modern rock at all. When they do consider metalcore bands, they just compare them to the leading band in the genre, Bring Me The Horizon.It’s not just lazy criticism but meaningless. If a critic says a new album sounds like Bring Me The Horizon, are they saying it sounds like the deep, riff and scream heavy hard metal sound of the “Count Your Blessings”, “There Is a Hell…”, and “Sempiternal” period? Or do they mean the lighter, pop-influenced “That’s the Spirit” and “Post Human” albums? And that’s ignoring that the albums in those periods all sound very different.American metalcore outfit Bad Omens has been a victim of this lazy critical treatment, and though I’m not a diehard fan, it’s with their third album, THE “DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND”, released in 2022, that they make their mark. Their 2024 follow-up record “Concrete Jungle,” continued this sound, working with more collaborators, and it’s a good album too, but ultimately, “Death of Peace of Mind” speaks to me more. It’s a vocal showcase for Noah Sebastian, has the best production of any of their albums, and is highly catchy and accessible without being uninteresting.Namely, it’s a blend of everything you would expect and love in metalcore — screams, heavy riffs, melodic pop-inspired vocals, and big drops — but with their distinct, easily listenable twist: synth-heavy electronic instrumentation. And though genre-blending can sometimes feel forced, it isn’t here.Whether it’s the thumping repeat hits in the pre-chorus to “What It Cost,” the echoey rumble on heartbreak earworm “Just Pretend,” or atmospheric distorted background vocals on “bad decisions,” these additions all feel natural to the songs and make them feel so much bigger and more impactful. These electronic touches are seasoning on fundamentally solid rock songs, and there are no low points here; it’s just 15 tracks of catch but diverse rock songs, with all filler cut out. The opener, “CONCRETE JUNGLE,” hits you as hard as its title promises, whereas “Somebody else.” sounds like late-era Weeknd and “ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE” is headbanging dominating riffs and growling screams, interspersed with quiet breaks.The vinyl comes with two light grey records, with no booklet, but individually sheathed in more of their stunning cover photography. My record arrived with no issues, and the print and paper quality on the sleeve was excellent.It’s not a mind-blowing or innovative album, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a catchy, excellently produced, fun rock record, perfect for listening to with headphones on, at the gym, or in the background in the house while you do something else. Oh, and it doesn’t sound like Bring Me The Horizon.

Record of the Week: Bad Omens’ ‘Death of Peace of Mind’

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