Omega Reign
Country of origin: United States
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Status: Active
Formed in: 1998 Genre: Heavy Metal
Lyrical themes: N/A
Current label: IME
Years active: 1998-present
MEMBERS
Scott Langevin: Bass
Tyrone Williams: Drums
Gene Felix: Guitrs
David Bowman: Guitars
Hank Perry AKA The Hankster: Vocals
THE INTERVIEW (WITH HANK PERRY (VOCALS)
1. The first thing I want to say, is that my heart goes out to all those who lost their lives and suffered horrible dismemberments and deformations at the hands of whatever twisted group or individual/s were responsible for this tragedy. Were any of you at the marathon the day that this occurred and if so, could you describe what happened? Now How angry does this make you?
Very angry (kill em all).
2. Now let's talk about the album, Arise. What was the recording process like for the disc?
Fun, always a blast recording new music, stressful at times making sure it was right. What was the oughest part of that? The mix down, getting the sound the way we wanted because we knew what we were looking for trying to stay true to our sound of traditional and modern mixed metal.
3. I've noticed a lot of classic influences in your music, everyone from Queensryche to Anthrax and even some Iced Earth. It's a wonderful blast from the past. Can you talk a little bit about all of your influences and how did they help to formulate your sound?
We may sound like a mixed of the classic metal bands you mentioned because we have so much influence in each of us even not trying but it runs deep in our metal roots that's just the way it comes out. (laughs)
4. Talk about some of the lyrics on your album. Most of the content seems to deal a lot with morality and living in a hate-filled world, which has become so readily apparent as of late. Where do you get your lyrical inspiration?
(Hank Perry) I get most of my inspiration from watching movies and oddly enough the news, on occasion I might write about something happening in my life such as the song BITTER which I wrote at a dark time during my divorce.
5. What instruments did you guys use to create this album? What kind of guitars, drums and tuning? How did you keep that "old school" sound intact?
Standard E and a touch of Drop D tuning was used, as for amps we use Mesa Boogie Triple r
Rectifier w/ Bogner 4x12 cab and Marshall JVM410 w/ Mesa Boogie 4x10 cab, and Pearl Reference Pure Drums /Vader sticks.
6. Explain the meaning of your first single "Invisible World/The Eidolon." Why did you choose this to be a single?
Because we love the tune and wanted others to hear it.
7. "Nocturnal" has some interesting effects being used in the form of keyboards or synths. Where did the idea come for this? It makes the track really stand out.
We were writing the begining of the tune and were looking for something dark. Sometimes when we are in the writing process it will come to one of us a spot where we need a little something extra to show the feeling where we want the listener to be.
8. The cover art for the album is quite interesting as it depicts some sort of demonic entity pouring blood out of a chalice into the mouth of some kind of succubus and in the other hand, he's grabbing one of them by the throat and it looks like they're all surrounded in flames. Is there anything you're trying to point out with this album art, or do you just think that it made a great cover?
What we were trying to point out that was a few of the songs had vampires and Gothic feelings to them. We approached the artist Tim Correia with our ideas and he came up with the art work featuring The Vampire Samael Osiris of The Mountain Ash.
9. What are some bands out there right now that you guys are currently into? What do you think of the current heavy metal music scene?
Omega Reign (laughs). Ummm... Avenged Sevenfold, RA not much of the new stuff, unless it's an old band with new album out (laughs again).
10. Are you planning to take this on the road?
Very much so, a lot of shows in the works, there's a small Tour if you will; in New England for late Spring and Summer. If so, where can we catch you? RI, CT, MA , NH who knows where else!
11. What do you guys do when you're not playing metal music?
We have many interests, Hank does a lot of PR and Booking when home and is always out watching bands and Scott plays sports, David rides his chopper and fishes, Tyrone likes to chill with his family and Gene works and relaxes at home or out.
12. Is there anything else you would like to say? This will be placed on a site where all kinds of people from different walks of life will gather with one common passion: Metal. So say whatever you want!
We are happy to be able to make Metal for you ALL and are grateful to all our fans! We are already in the process of writing our second album and want it be even better ! Thanks for your continued support!
Thanks for making a great classic metal album and I wish the best for you and all those in Boston and elsewhere in Mass. who made it out stronger than ever!
THE REVIEW
Omega Reign - Arise (PR2013) - Omega Reign is a band that's definitely worth checking out for fans of everything from Queensryche to Anthrax and even Iced Earth. They're a band that has classic metal in their blood and every note on this disc proves it. These Boston, Mass. progressive thrash metallers come equipped with thundering riffs, vocals that remind me of Joey Belladonna for sure - and great drumming that all seems to add up to an impressive blast from the past. Everything about this album sounds like it was made in the good old days of metal; before technicality and core and even death and black metal which almost everyone owes something to in the modern metal scene. The production on the disc sounds dated, but I'd have it no other way - it literally reminds me so much of Anthrax at their most classic (Among The Living, State Of Euphoria) that some of the songs here "Doomsday 3:25", "Invisible World/The Eidolon 3:48" sound like they could've been written by Anthrax themselves.
But that's not all these guys do, as the prog influences creep up right at the beginning with the synth backed soloing of opener "Will The Light Come 6:17" and horror-tinged keyboards of "Nocturnal 5:42." No, these guys aren't some kind of Anthrax rip-off, they're something with much more potential than that and all of these tracks prove it. Though I couldn't much get into "Prison In Your Eyes 4:55" I will admit that I noticed the Iron Maiden influenced riffing in it and it's definitely not a bad song. I'll also say that "This Poem Is Goodbye 3:48" took a while to warm up, but it's got a great ending as can also be said for "Prison." But nothing on this one is truly filler and these guys definitely have enough talent and skill to go out there and really bring back the classic sounds of metal that that genre is really in need of right now. (How core are we going to get, folks?)
Arise is a worthy debut from a band that are just getting warmed up. Hopefully they'll get picked up and can continue to make more great metal that sounds the just the way it used to. It's a great mix of thrash and prog that will be further honed in future efforts - I'm sure of it. Damn sure.
Highlights: Will The Light Come, Bitter, Doomsday, Nocturnal, The Way You Lived, Invisible World/The Eidolon, Killer (9 Tracks, 41:00)
8/10
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