OMEGA INFINITY – The Anticurrent (Album Review)

Galaxies are born, and galaxies die. Indifferent to the life that has sparked deep within the Milky Way’s arms, yawning black holes consume stars and planets alike. And from within this voracious void, a place where time bends and light disappears, emerges Omega Infinity. Self-branded as extreme metal from the void, this duo of darkness have finally broken three years of silence to deliver their sophomore album. “The Anticurrent” is the ethereal unknown in sonic form, and it is a tremendous force that will bend time and space for all who dare to listen.

“The Anticurrent” comes three years after Omega Infinity’s debut, “Solar Spectre.” “Solar Spectre” was an impressive traipse through our own solar system, and it let the weight of each planet sit heavy on the listener’s tongue. It caused the iron to pulse in their veins as the dust from Mercury stained their skin. The acidic atmosphere of Venus threatened to scorch one’s lungs, and the foreboding shadows of Mars waited to swallow their prey. It was a solar spectacle of undaunted proportions, extreme metal that carried with it a conceptual vision, and a piece of art that captured the extremity of the vacuum of space. With this high bar in mind, it seemed impossible to imagine that Omega Infinity could muster a follow-up that would even come close to such brilliance. Yet “The Anticurrent” not only meets this expectation, but surpasses it.

A notable strength is the decision to partner with numerous guest musicians for vocal contributions, including Adrienne Cowan (Seven Spires) and Lindsay Schoolcraft (Antiqva). Each guest vocalist acts as a brilliant complement to the low howls that Xenoyr has long been known for, not aiming to compete with his demonic roars, but to make their impact even richer. Cowan appears on “Iron Age” with a feature that showcases both her harsh and clean vocal abilities. There are few vocalists in the modern metal scene as strong as Cowan, and she proved herself a strong pick for the atmosphere of inevitability found in “Iron Age.” Also notable is the contribution of András Nagy (Sear Bliss) on both “Voices From the End of Time” and “Night Journey.” His screams add both passion and technical proficiency that bring the vision of “The Anticurrent” to life. Omega Infinity truly shows off its songwriting talent with these guest features, because not only is each vocalist featured on a track that matches the atmosphere of their vocal abilities, but they are seamlessly integrated into the full length of the track. The features are not a single fleeting verse, but they are an integral part of the story each track is trying to tell, a story that would not be the same without them. Not only did Omega Infinity write songs that are near perfectly-tailored to artists from outside the band, but they did so with careful attention to their creative vision.

“The Antimatter” Album Artwork

There are also notable instrumental divergences from “Solar Spectre,” particularly those that pull away from a solely percussive-driven distortion, such as bringing piano melodies to the forefront of tracks like “The Alpha.” Variety is also notable in the electronic undertones of “Banish Us From Eden” and the dancing synth across “To The Stars.” Twelve-minute closing track “Voices From the End of Time” is a mammoth endeavor that combines spoken word, vocal effects, distortion, and other elements to imbue a haunting sensation on the listener. There are times “The Anticurrent” brings a sense of humanity to the forefront, much as it does in “Banish Us From Eden,” but it has not forgotten its cosmic roots. “Voices From the End of Time” plays out like a movie, part horror and part science fiction. This final track is drawn out with painstaking attention to detail, with voices fragmenting as a simple piano melody keeps time, and the currents of time become static bending in the background. It serves as a blissful and fitting end to the impossible scale of an album so sonically and thematically ambitious.’

Once “Voices From the End of Time” reaches its concluding notes, “The Anticurrent” offers up two bonus tracks. The first is “Night Journey” (Sear Bliss cover), featuring Andras Nagy, and the second is a rendition of Emperor’s classic “Ye Entrancemperium.” Featuring Marta J. Braun as a guest vocalist, this latter creative interpretation adds unique flavor to a longtime favorite, and layered screams and growls make it a riveting experience. Both covers are interpretations that stay true to the Omega Infinity style without losing the spirit of the originals. The covers are also an opportunity to hear Tentakel P.–responsible for all instruments on the album–cover a wider range of styles. 

And so time marches on, uncaring that the bones of humanity crumble to dust. To summarize the album, “The Anticurrent” is an experience that hovers somewhere between a tidal wave of crushing noise and sonic enlightenment. It is a conceptual journey that spans beyond the confines of time as we observe it, a tale that can only be told with a roar of emotion and distortion. But with screams and percussion as the storytellers, Omega Infinity have brought their listeners on another experience of a lifetime.

Release Date: February 17th, 2022
Record Label: Season of Mist
Genre: Extreme Metal

Musicians:

• Xenoyr / Vocals
• Tentakel P / Everything Else

“The Anticurrent” Track-list:

1. The Alpha
2. Creation
3. Iron Age (feat. Adrienne Cowan)
4. Banish Us From Eden
5. To The Stars
6. Death Rays (feat. Lindsay Schoolcraft)
7. Voices From the End of Time (feat. Andras Nagy)
8. Night Journey (Sear Bliss cover) (feat. Andras Nagy)
9. Ye Entrancemperium (Emperor cover) (feat. Marta J. Braun)

Order “The Anticurrent” HERE