Reviews of Polarized:
Seventh Omen is back with their best effort yet, "Polarized." As with their
previous disc, you can expect first class power, speed, solos, dual guitar
attack and damn tight foundation of bass and drums. But "Polarized" is
so much more than Seventh Omen has ever been. What you find here is a very
mature disc. Let's start with the guitars. Clay and Damon really deliver a
pummeling of melodic riffs that can stop on a dime, then crush your nuts (or
tits) into a mangled disaster of flesh. To top that off, the guitars
maintain a true sense of "metal" while pushing the envelope. The solos and
leads flow extremely well with the music on the new disc. Trade-offs rule.
Next, the vocals (Clay) are truly what help make Seventh Omen who they are.
Clay does not deliver the vox in any manner than I can compare to anyone
else. The singing is truly unique, and that is what is cool. He's powerful
throughout, and is careful not to drown the music; he compliments it in
every way. I will say this, however, I do hear vintage Mustaine on
Polarized, from time to time... So let's move onto the bass and drums.
I'll get it out of the way right now - the snare sound is a tad thin. But
realize that this is self-produced/recorded/mixed, and for that the drums
sound awesome! Bob (drums) and Dave (bass) are quite a team. You will not
hear any bass thumping out of time or silly unnecessary drum fills. The
only thing I would change in the mix is to turn up the drums (just a
little). So what does this all mean? Well, Polarized is a kick ass disc.
They've spent years melding their individual talents to become a band. What
they'd achieved thus far is a killer band. If you want progressive-tinged
speed/power metal of high caliber, then get Polarized. You will not be
disappointed.
Ralf Walter - http://www.rockreunion.de
"SEVENTH OMEN is a new band from Chicago, USA and "Polarized" is their second album, following "Majestic". They play technical power/thrash metal with many changes, heavy power riffs and progressively-tinged vocals. Sometimes the music gets so technical that flirts with Dream Theater and Queensryche. Their main influences though are Metallica, Megadeth and Flotsam and Jetsam. The thrashy rhythms and the melodic breaks catch the listener's attention from the beginning to the end. There are no bad songs in this album. The production is good although there are some imperfections which will be corrected since the band plans to re-mix and re-master the album. Songs like "Robotica", "Hate Breeds...", "...Fear Feeds" and "A Gentle Breeze" will satisfy even the most demanding listener. I really can't understand why bands like Seventh Omen have a hard time finding a good contract since they are a lot better than many signed bands. But then again record labels are always after the money, right? No place for quality in the music industry." - TOTAL SCORE: 8
Headbanger's Pit
"If you're into American Power Metal then you must check the URL below. But first be informed; This is the second album from this Illinois band. Their sound can be defined as a mixture of MEGADETH, NEVERMORE and DREAM THEATER yet original the same time. With excellent riffs and vocals and a killing rhythm section is a real pleasure for sore ears. Powerful yet melodic with some speedy explosions here and there, their music simply reveals a world class band. Major labels should have taken a look at them years ago since SEVENTH OMEN is out there 12 years (since 1988)!!. The cover art is very good and their lyrics are interesting too. What more can I say. "A gentle Breeze", "Vultures at the window" and "Hate breeds" are the best tracks but here you have a whole hour of quality Metal. Visit them immediately at www.seventhomen.com." 7/10 8/10
http://metal-guide.com
Reviews of Majestic:
"Comprised of four extremely talented musicians,
Seventh Omen is true "metal" in every sense of the word: crisp, clear and
complex guitar arrangements, progressively tinged vocal soars mixed with
rough-edged howls, intricate melodic breaks, thrashy rhythms, and hard
driving drum palpitations. With spit-fire intensity and unbelievable
precision, duel guitarists Clay Yoksas (also the vocalist) and Damon
Bernklau propel each song with their fiery leads, while the rhythm section
of bassist David Alsing and drummer Bob Behnke provide a sturdy backdrop for
their wailing grooves. With influences ranging from Metallica and Megadeth
to Queensryche and Dream Theater, Seventh Omen pours out the perfect
high-tech mix of classical thrash and expansive progressive metal.
In a time when true metal is constantly being pushed under the
bed to rot and die...it's refreshing to hear such melodic aggression and
volatile energy done in pure, no-holds-barred metal fashion with
absolutely no regard for current trends."
Jenni Glenn-CMJ
"Those alternative indie rock types think that they have corner
on the DYI (do it yourself) market, but with an impressive 34 adds this week,
SEVENTH OMEN show on their first nationally distributed release...
that they can have an impact from the grass-roots
level as well... they combine the technical aspects of Dream Theater and
Queensryche with the intricate speed-metal of Megadeth. This Chicago-based
four piece pride themselves on walking the fine line between powerful and
melodic, skilled and approachable. If you are nostalgic for the furious
picking and clean meticulous care poured into metallic musical arrangements,
rather than the slacker brank of rock, then Majestic will be a good omen for
you."
Holly McKormick-The Hard Report
"These guys have been kicking around the local scene for
quite a few years, brandishing a form of metal that has gained them
notoriety both locally and internationally. After releasing a series of
cassette-only EPs, Majestic marks the band's first full length
release on CD. Seventh Omen whips up a mixture of heavy and classic metal
along with a bit of pop, thrash, and a tinge of industrial, creating a
sound that ranks them with the likes of Queensryce, Circle of Dust, and
Type-O-Negative. Seventh Omen successfully translates accounts of mystic
realms, political injustices, and government cover-ups. They're a band brave
enough to tackle the mythos of "MJ-12"... Seventh Omen reveals all this
and more through powerful music - music that is exquisitely played,
extraordinarily written, and melodically sung. Seventh Omen may one day have
their fingers wrapped around the world as well, especially if they continue
to spew forth such powerful offerings as Majestic."
P.J. Baio
"The guys in Seventh Omen stick to their guns. The band is
made up of Chicago-area musicians... all of which are very competent. The
guitar playing is commendable, especially if you're as sick of the
"alternative" trend of playing messy, single-scale solos as I am. Powerful
metal is performed gracefully throughout Majestic - no grunge here.
Since I've always been a sucker for songs about alien invasions and
government coverups, the CD's opener "MJ-12" does the trick and sets the
pace for the musical adventures that construct the album. There's not a bad
song on the disc, but my personal favorites are "The Fall of Mu," which has
a great guitar duel between Bernklau and Yoksas, and "Blind," a beautiful
acoustic-dominated song that shows these guys can write good songs at any
speed or volume. I recommend this CD to all metal fans (I know you're still
out there), especially if you're into music with intricate, but not
over-long, instrumentations."
Jamie Sarno
Reviews of Live Performances:
W.A.S.P. / Impotent Sea Snakes / Seventh Omen
House Of Blues, Chicago, IL - March 21, 2000 - by Tim Wadzinski
"Being a Tuesday night nonwithstanding, I was pretty psyched for this show. W.A.S.P.'s been one of my favorite bands forever, and the prospect of seeing them pull out some golden oldies on this, their 15th anniversary tour in support of the new compilation THE BEST OF THE BEST / VOLUME ONE 1984-2000 (see review below), had me ready to rock. But it kinda ended up being a mixed bag..."
Seventh Omen (25 minutes)
"I'd heard of these local boys numerous times but I never was able to check out any of their music. My friend Andrew took one look and asked, "Are these guys Megadeth?" They had some similar guitars and the patented hair-flipping going on, but whereas the Megadudes (and Metallica, of course) have gone a little more commercial in the '90s these guys were heavy all the way. Their brand of precision thrash/power metal will be right up your alley if you've been disappointed with the big "M" bands the last few years. They did a good job of getting the (at this point sparse) crowd riled up."
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