Review by Felix on June 15, 2019.

Come hell or high water, some bands don't change their style. However, this does not mean that all of their records are on the same quality level. Please compare the almost immaculate "Back in Black" with the faceless "Blow Up Your Video" or listen to the polished "Pleasant Dreams" directly after the ingenious "Rocket to Russia". I am pretty sure you will feel the difference. Either way, OHL are among these units. They cannot be blamed for stagnation, they just have always been immune against experiments. Nevertheless, Feindkontakt, their work from 2006, is significantly better than many of their further, stylistically very well comparable albums.

First of all, the guitar work of Stalin is extremely impressive. This is not to say that he reveals outstanding technical skills (or I am not able to identify them). What really counts is the excellence of his riffs that lend the songs an irresistible drive and a fanatic momentum. In its best moments, the material connects these features with an enormous catchiness. "Feind der freien Welt" does not only kick off the album in a rapid manner, it also offers one of these highly memorable sequences of Feindkontakt. Its chorus takes the shortest way into the listener's brain without having bought a return ticket. Or experience the perfect riff of the extremely wild, ultra-fast but never chaotic "Die Fahne der Freiheit". Of course, OHL have never delivered riffs in abundance, but they are able to focus on one ingenious riff that carries the aforementioned song directly into my personal hall of fame. And it goes without saying that this riff also did not buy a return ticket. No doubt, the first third of Feindkontakt defines absolutely flawless punk, reduced to the essentials and without a single gram of fat. The direct and angry "Der Heilige Krieg" constitutes the perfect link between the opener and "Die Fahne der Freiheit", while "Lichtkegel zerschneiden die Nacht" highlights the scary facet of OHL's art. Its atmosphere matches the air raid scenario of the lyrics extremely well. The composition conveys the feeling of mortal fear that reigns on both sides of the front in a terrifying manner.

Too bad but simultaneously almost natural that OHL cannot keep this gigantic standard during the entire album. But the band also does not offer half-baked tunes, by far not. Each and every song adds value to Feindkontakt, even though the last iota of brilliance is sometimes missing. One or the other song does not play in a class of its own, but the menacing and slightly psychopathic "Heimatlos", the swift and excellently flowing "Stolz deutsch zu sein" (it is the most "opulent" track with a length of 3:41 minutes) or the ferocious declaration of war "Eure Tage sind gezählt", a close relative of songs such as "Gott mit uns", show that the formation is not at risk to run out of steam. Quite the opposite, Feindkontakt presents a firework of dynamic, liveliness and fury, not at least because of its technical implementation. The precise, perfectly balanced production does not lack pressure, aggression and resilience. It seems as if the veterans know exactly the sound they want to have, because all of their 21st century albums score with a very suitable and extremely strong mix.

Finally, I observe with satisfaction that Deutscher W has mixed his usual 300 words anew and presents the typical OHL topics. His vocals are strong and powerful as always and form a very good and expressive medium for the sinister lyrics. The background vocals increase both the intensity and verve in songs such as "Niemand" and all in all, there is nothing to grumble with regard to the performance of the singer(s). In a nutshell, Feindkontakt is just a nearly perfect album. By the way, the band has more almost perfect tracks, for example "Der Fall Saatze". This is the twelfth track of another great album which is called... but I guess that's another story.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Felix on July 6, 2022.

Some bands are just not able to deliver what their early works promised. Omen is one of them. From my point of view, their decline began with “The Curse”. Recorded with the same line-up as their first two albums, it already shows a less strong musical substance. I admit that the opening title track is terrific. It possesses a dark touch, does not lack speed and it is as biting as the snake on the cover. J. D. Kimball (R.I.P.) makes good use of his voice and especially the chorus line “must I kill again tonight” leaves a lasting impression. Nevertheless, this track already uncovers a weak point of the album. The sound is neither differentiated nor very powerful, but pretty dull.

Too bad that Omen fell into the well-known trap called “good opener does not make a good album”. After the first song they have already shot their powder. Broad parts of the longplayer are decent, melodic and do no harm, but this kind of offering is not what I want to hear when it comes to the album of a unit that has already proved its class with neckbreakers like “Termination”. Naturally, melodies are not a bad thing per se, but the ones that Omen present fall victim to their own mediocrity. They are caught between a rock and a hard place, neither appealing to metal freaks with an affinity for real power nor commercial enough to catch the attention of the mainstream. Aggravating this situation, the comparatively soft material forces Kimball to sing without those 10% wickedness that ennobles his performance in the opener. Sometimes he sounds more like a whining old man than like a metal vocalist.

Of course, “The Curse” is much less polished than “Escape to Nowhere”. The comparison of the two artworks speaks volumes. Additionally, the here reviewed work reflects an honest approach, while its successor was nothing but a kowtow to the band’s own wish to tap new sources of funding. Okay, “Teeth of the Hydra” shows a metallic basis and gives the double bass to demonstrate its strength. More or less the same goes for “At All Cost”. Yet this is not enough to save the album from getting lost between completely unclear objectives. Heavy Metal? Power Metal? Commercial “metal”? “Demon metal”? “Bounty Hunter” has a surprisingly aggressive and demonic tone, but it’s too late to sing a song of praise for “The Curse”. No doubt, there are (a lot of) worse albums circling through the metal community. Maybe (or even for sure) it is unfair to let this album gather dust on the shelf, but that’s life. No one care for the seventh-place finisher at the Olympic Games and due to comparable reasons, I do not have a really good time with this output.

Rating: 6 out of 10

Review by Brian on January 31, 2014.

By 1986 Omen had cemented themselves within the American metal scene. Their 1984 debut Battle Cry is considered a U.S. power metal classic and the 1985 follow up Warning Of Danger continued their dominance in the genre. At this time the metal world was going through a transitional phase from the NWOBHM to the thrash movement. There was very little room for USPM to flourish and it seemed to be gone before it ever got off the ground. Only a handful of bands had any real success in the genre. Fates Warning, Jag Panzer, Helstar and Manilla Road along side Omen were basically what the U.S, offered the power metal scene. Yes there are a few others that could be mentioned, but to this writers ears these five were the most important.

1986's The Curse completed the trifecta of great releases from the band. In typical Omen fashion, the album contains its faster tunes. The title track, "Kill On Sight" and "S.R.B". It's slower, doom inspired song like "Eye Of The Storm" and of course the epic mid-paced classic and albums best track "Teeth Of The Hydra". Kenny Powell plays the fantastic Maiden inspired riffs which prove to be perfect for the late J.D. Kimball's vocal performance. Kimball's vocals are excellent, keeping to a lower to mid range and never going to the traditional falsetto vocal approach of many of the power metal bands.

Although not their crowning achievement, The Curse is an extremely solid effort. The lavish guitar melodies and soaring vocals are some of the best in all of power metal. Kimball's incredibly catchy choruses draw the listener in and keep them interested. The Curse is the final album to feature vocalist J.D. Kimball and the last great Omen album. Omen have solidified themselves as one of the best USPM acts and The Curse still holds up today and marks the end of an era for the band.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8.5
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Originality: 7.5
Overall: 8

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by JD on August 18, 2010.

With a name like Eclectika I was not sure of what really to expect of this band from the heart of the France countryside. I was both quite uncertain yet extremely curious all at the same time... so I cleared that all aside in my head and just played the damn thing. What I got from the band, was a real and very honestly... a surprise.

Straddling the musical lines between the fury of Death/Black Metal, unexpectedness of Experimental, the clamour of Industrial with almost a sort of grinding tilt as well. Eclectika explodes and cuts into you like a shrapnel bomb on bared skin. Speeding drums and almost molten guitars slash through your cortex like a welding torch on butter as the gravel filled vocals tells tales that would chill the soul. Molten lava pales in comparison to the flames that explode from each and every note.

It is a nearly an exorbitant sort of sound that Eclectika has, to the point of being jumbled and not very cohesive in spots, but clearly it is the way that it has been recorded that makes it feel so out-of-control. I don’t mind the wall of noise thing, as that is a rock an roll staple... but separation between instruments and vocals within that sonic wall is what makes or breaks an album.
Eclectika’s album is almost like white noise, rather than some really good and explosive extreme music. I hear talent oozing out all over the place, but it is overshadowed by the recording. If they back off the wall thing, this would be one very blasting album. Right now it is just interesting. If they have the cash, they should re mix and release. They might be pleasantly
surprised at what is under the sludge factor of their album.

There is a very shiny diamond of great metal nestled amongst the piles of crap that is around it, wash the crap away, and you’ll see it. Eclectika is on the verge of doing it right... I await to see.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship:8
Atmosphere: 7 (recording does this)
Production: 5
Originality: 8
Overall: 7.5

Rating: 7.1 out of 10