Review by Allan on July 30, 2002.

“What exactly is an epic?” It has been a question that has been tampering with my mind lately. I’ve finally found an answer that satisfies me for now. I’d say it is something; in this case music, which has a few distinctive qualities about it. Those qualities are heroic, impressive, grand, elevated, or simply a vast musical panorama. It’s that, or we could just say listen to In The Woods...'s “Omnio”.

In The Woods... sound is somewhat akin to, well, themselves. They’re quite original for sure, both in sound and style. Their sound is comprised of the usual instruments, but also some acute orchestration with a quartet of strings. Though, the strings do not need to be present for that feel to come alive. It is their sense of orchestral song writing that makes the atmosphere of “Omnio” so epic. Not all the weight lies on their song writing preferences though. The vocals are one of the most beautiful factors about the music. There is one male vocalist, accompanied by one female. The black shrieks found on In The Woods...’s previous album “Heart of the Ages” are now a rarity, thankfully. The male vocals usually dominate the music with power and prowess, enclosing the listener in their majestic tranquility. The female vocals are angelic and often take a very large part in different sections of the album, creating a hypnotizing experience. Both the vocals become even livelier when they perform together, creating a whole new experience on their own. This would all mean nothing of course, were they not supported by the proper instrumental backing. You know they are though, of course. The riffs never have a dull moment, the chord progressions are beautiful, and the climaxes (a must in epic music) are perfectly in place and frequent. The guitars are often interacting with each other, doing separate things, or they are creating lush harmonies. No matter what each member of the band is doing though, it all seems to fall right into place at the right time to create the perfect musical sphere.

Bottom Line: One of the true gems of the 90’s metal scene; a must-hear to all fans of music.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 10
Atmosphere: 10
Production: 10
Originality: 10
Overall: 10

Rating: 10 out of 10