Since I was going to be seeing Bad Omens over this past weekend, I figured I should give their latest album, The Death of Peace of Mind a full run-through. I knew a couple of older singles thanks to my sister, but in looking at the set lists from other shows on the tour, this new album was going to be featured heavily.
Firstly, this was a long album! Most bands that I listen to aren’t putting more than twelve tracks on an album anymore (unless you’re RHCP), so to see fifteen tracks was an interesting surprise. Given that I had heard the six singles released from this album too many times, I knew what to expect from them. What I wasn’t prepared for was how synth-heavy this record would be. Also, lead singer, Noah Sebastian, hits falsettos like The Weeknd. You can imagine how I was puzzled that my sister actually liked this album. Sure, there were still heavy elements to it, but I would say 80 percent of it could have been played on mainstream radio.
I’m sure that probably was a hard musical pill for their fanbase to swallow, but it really does show the band has depth and more talent then their previous efforts would suggest. I mean, if I could hit falsettos like that, I would! The vocals sound best on the album’s title track and “Like a Villain.” “IDWT$” hit some really interesting techno bits; almost a mix of something you’d hear on a rap song or at an EDM festival. “The Grey” and “Concrete Jungle” felt like more middle of the road rock to me, which is not a bad thing, just unexpected. My personal favorite off the whole thing was “Bad Decisions.” It just had a really cool sound, and the vocals towed the line between the falsettos and right before the screams. I was shocked that “Artificial Suicide” was the only pure screaming song on the whole record.
Of course, it was that last track and other heavy older singles that had people losing their minds at the concert on Saturday, but I know my sister was probably one of a few who enjoyed the whole set from start to finish. Overall, Bad Omens’ latest record is actually something I could see myself listening to again. It wasn’t as heavy and ear-piercing as I was anticipating, and I appreciate the new sound they adopted for this effort. It also sounds like fans should not expect the same old, same old in records to come. And I respect that.