Omen
Battle Cry

Masterpiece. 

The Omen is one of those legendary bands, one of those groups known to few but who have made history in the genre. They were born in the United States in the year 1983. The group consisted of 4 members: Kenny Powell on guitar, Kimball as the vocalist, Jody Henry on bass, and Steve Wittig on drums. The band is devoted to pure and fast heavy metal, epic and, in some cases, melodic. The songs are simple and direct but no less exciting for that. To give you an idea, you might say that some of the songs on the platter could very well be found on Iron Maiden or Killers by the iron maiden.

One of the most beautiful albums of the genre, one of the purest and simplest ones, produced without the help of an orchestra in tow. It was released in 1984 under the Metal Blade label.

The platter is mainly based on the precise and sharp riffs of maestro Powell and the warm yet powerful voice of singer J.D. Kimball, which perfectly fits the type of music produced. It's hard to cite the best songs, as all of them are at a very high level. "Death Rider" seems to have been written by the early Steve Harris, fast and granite-like in its impact, it is one of the pearls of the album. "The Axeman" is an anthem to the purest metal that speaks of legends and battles, with the opening riff reminiscent of early Black Sabbath creating a dark-hued song that turns out to be one of the heaviest tracks on the album. "Last Rites" and "Dragon's Breath" are fast and powerful with their epic choruses. "Be My Wench" is perhaps one of the less exciting tracks on the album, maybe too forced, yet still in any other recent album it would be an absolute masterpiece.

"Battle Cry", the title track, is one of the best songs in the epic field and one of those I love the most. It starts with a distorted, unhealthy riff, which then gives way to a second, cleaner riff that introduces us to the sublimely sung verses that lead us to the wonderful chorus, granting this song the scepter of the best on the album. An immortal song...

The remaining songs alternate on very high levels with "Die By The Blade" being one of the more melodic tracks on the album, while in "Bring Out The Beast" one can hear the echoes of early American heavy, with the lyrics not being the most epic... Dulcis in fundo comes "In The Arena" with its initial arpeggio and its slower but more melodic pace, where one can already perceive a greater skill in songwriting. This latter song, together with "Death Rider" and the title track, can be considered the most beautiful of the album.

The Omen will remain unknown to many, too many, but this album is something unmissable and immortal that has elevated the Omen to a cult band. Listen to it, because passion alone is enough to create pure gems and you don't need dozens and dozens of elements in an orchestra to create epic songs. One of the best American heavy metal albums and one of the pillars of epic. Simply great and legendary.

Masterpiece.

J.D. Kimball rest in peace.