[ALBUM REVIEW] Kain - Omega

 

Genre - Melodeath/Black Metal

1.     Intro  

2.     Fleischeslust  

3.     Blutgericht  

4.     Freiheit ruft  

5.     Rachepfad  

6.     Instrumental  

7.     Vom Erdenleid  

8.     Sturz des Lichtbringers  

9.     Nephilim  

10.  Verkünder des Hasses  

11.  Outro

“Omega” is the latest effort from German band KAIN, and with it they continue to deliver their brand of melodic Black/Death Metal which while certainly well produced and performed, is a bit lacklustre in terms of quality. It’s not bad per se, but has all the hallmarks of a band who sound as if they’re going through the motions and a little lacking in the inspiration department. Certainly if you were to take the exterior, uninspiring band name along with similarly lazy album name and the dull cover, the warning signs are there.

The music itself lies somewhere among the hazy boundaries of DIMMU BORGIR, ‘Nemesis Divina’ era SATYRICON and DISSECTION with a heavier focus on the Melo Death side of things; it does sound like a mouth watering combination of acts, but somehow KAIN manages to extract all traces of energy, venom and general talent from the aforementioned bands and dump it aside while the rest is amassed together under the guise “Omega”.

As stated, it’s well performed there’s no doubt about that and there are a couple of passages that arise throughout which give a glimpse into what the band may be capable of, but it’s just bogged down in what seems like an eternal stream of filler. “Blutgericht” is remarkably good, showcasing the band flirting with a more Pagan oriented direction and actually has a bit of grit and direction to it with some great riffing, but unfortunately it’s really the only song on the whole album which stands out; play me any other song back and I’d struggle to pin a name to it, and in this cut throat world of Extreme Metal these days that level of quality just won’t get you far at all.

The riffing is hackneyed and thoroughly flat, the vocals one dimensional and devoid of any power or character while the song arrangements are again, pedestrian. “Omega” isn’t completely worthless, but it’s not anything I’d ever have an urge to listen to again. Listening to it was nothing but laborious and it seems if KAIN are to present any perceivable threat in the future they’re going to need to tap at  that vein of inspiration a little harder next time. Borefest. 

4/10

Originally written for Metal Observer