Initially a self-released album of last year, the self-titled album of US progressive rock band The Omega Experiment now has its re-release via Listenable Records and the chance to deservedly reach a much wider waiting audience. The album is a striking piece of work, an imaginative and inventive cyclone of progressive sound and metallic fire honed into a melodic wash of pop enterprise and heavy steeled ingenuity. Though the release does fluctuate in the strength of fire and impressed satisfaction it ignites within personal tastes it is impossible not to offer a full recommendation for its intensely creative and passionate craft.
Hailing from Muskegon, Michigan, the duo of Dan Wieten and Ryan Aldridge show an instinctive and intricate skill in blending soaring euphoric synths, hungry and intrusive yet intriguing guitar exploits, and lush magnetic vocals into songs which either squall with tempest energy or seduce with the warm siren charms of the sun, at times merging both for the fullest invigorating examination of experimental invention. Their debut EP Karma found rich praise with Devin Townsend as well as a great many and it is hard to see their debut failing to bloom the same and stronger responses this time around.
If the aforementioned artist and the likes of Journey, Yes, Porcupine Tree, and Coheed And Cambria inspire great anticipation than The Omega Experiment will easily satisfy but with plenty of ideas and ingenuity which you will not have envisaged. Of course if the genre they impressively frequent is not of your taste buds than the album will not change your mind but still offers plenty to inspire further attention as they progress, certainly for us here. There is nothing about the album you can pull apart and criticise, only acclaim its craft and imagination but if something does not exactly light your fire then that is something generally beyond persuasion though with this album it is ironically very enjoyable to try and change that instinctive stance.
Opening track Gift instantly sends a blaze of hot guitar beauty across the senses, its heated atmosphere tightly wrapping around the sonic splendour coaxing the ear. Into its stride three things strike home the most and remain that way throughout the release, the precise sculpting of the guitars to carve evocative shapes within the second potent thing, the expansive and rich depth of the keys which equally evoke emotions and thoughts to go along with the lyrical narrative. The third is the impressive vocals, either singularly or in harmonic union, a mutual conspirator to the contagious beauty raised elsewhere. The song ripples and pulsates with ideas, never standing on one footing but shifting its weight and guise continually to intrigue and magnetise thoughts and senses. Arguably there may be too much going on to absorb but there is little to throw barbed faults upon the immensely strong starter.
Tracks like Stimulus and Tranquility continue the prog rock dream which fans of the genre with drool over for sure. Both songs as examples, splice the air with a devious striking skill of musicianship, the bewitching craft of the pair dazzling the view of songs whilst enhancing their overall breath. Though neither track truly sparks up a furnace of passion they undoubtedly increased the lure of the album with the second of the two gently mesmerising as it leads into the heart and strongest part of the album. The entrancing track seamlessly swaps places with the destructive might and antagonism of Furor, a muscular rampage with as much metalcore like venom as it has progressive seduction. It is a bear of a track which chews on the senses with crushing rhythms and will bending riffs whilst the glorious clean vocals bring an angelic rapture to the primal intensity. Easily the best track on the album and one which feeds our preferences much more than any other. The album has the armoury to feed all desires but the depth of your rewards depends on what aspect breeds your musical heart the most.
The following Bliss, a brief fusion of agitated ambience and probing invention, continues the inciting pinnacle sparked by its predecessor and as the album heads towards its finale it offers an even more potent and enriching presence. Both Karma and Terminus raise the temperature, the first especially another triumph on the album, its Opeth/Dream Theater strength and melodic incursion into the soul of the song irresistible, whilst closing track Paramount leaves a lasting stroll of sun soaked melodic elegance with pop rock infectiousness.
Produced by Acle Kahney of Tesseract, The Omega Experiment is simply a dynamic and vibrant slice of progressive rock which fans of the genre will devour greedily whilst for those less sure there is plenty also to find pleasure from though more with the muscular rampages of a Furor. All in all though an impressive debut from one promising band.
www.facebook.com/theomegaexperiment
8/10
RingMaster 10/04/2013
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Listen to the best independent music and artists on The RingMaster Review Radio Show and The Bone Orchard from
The RingMaster Review 
Leave a Reply