Omar Bowing – 432 Hz
Omar Bowing – 432 Hz – Album Review
I’ve got to hand it to progressive alt-metal artist Omar Bowing – he’s created an album here with 432 Hz that instantly got my attention; opening track “Virus” comes out swinging like a prison-yard champion. What I also noticed – was an instant comparison I could draw to one of my favorite bands of all-time, and arguably one of the most influential of the past two decades; Failure. With the incredible tones coming through the rattling, driving bass and the intensely frantic nature of the beat; “Virus” is definitely a most welcome return to a sound I’m always hoping will make its way to the forefront.
While it might have never worked out commercially for Ken Andrews and his crew in Failure – the sound itself morphed and trans-mutated, permeating other genres. When listening to the next tracks on Omar’s disc, “Evilution” and “Fear Free” – I can hear other bands like perhaps Quicksand, Ours, Chevelle, Earshot, Tool and Serj Tankian have more than likely filled the eardrums of Omar with inspiration along the way. And though I might have a ton of comparisons established in moments of listening – Bowing has managed to put an indelible stamp of his own on each of these songs through the combination of his incredible songwriting and his singer Tyson Yen’s signature vocal style.
But…but wait – there’s more! Actual instrumentation! For real – Omar is writing some incredible songs and some truly incredible parts within those songs. As he surrenders the microphone for a track called “Lucky;” I kinda feel like we ARE lucky – lucky he put down the mic for just a moment to make this incredible song! For the record – I dig the vocals all throughout this album, there are some incredibly smart choices made in the writing and melody; BUT…”Lucky” really is one of my favorites; the instrument choices, tones, atmosphere…it’s all here…
That being said – I think it’s a great thing I don’t just listen to an album only once when typing up a review; my first impression…well…it was kind of shocked really. All I could really establish in those first listens; was that I was certainly hearing something artistic, ambitious, and epic. But like truly great music – this took a couple listens to really hear how truly brilliant it absolutely is. “Code Love,” with its excellent vocals, desolate harmonies, massive drums, and exceptional use of the guitarviol, is one scary-as-shit trip of a song. The solo just before the two & a half minute mark is like the shortest, sharpest and most necessary sound in my life right now…seriously….I’ve backed it up over and over just to hear it….it’s perfect.
As much as I try not to pick absolute favorites…I’d be hard-pressed to not choose “Earthquake” if interrogated long enough. Just an absolutely fantastic, melodic beginning; which mind you was already blowing my mind – then RIGHT into one of the thickest, densest, crunchiest riffs to rock the entire second half. Taking it out to the end, Omar demonstrates some killer guitar work on 432 Hz once again with this incredible solo-riff hanging on right until final notes.
“Worried,” the final track on Bowing’s new album is the kind of track that you listen to, and when you hear the extra 10% commitment, conviction, passion…venom in his voice and lyrics – there’s just no mistaking how personal a track like this is. And as a final cut for an album – freakin gold; it displays the incredibly diverse songwriting I’ve been loving throughout this entire album; these are undeniably challenging, well-written songs performed with high-energy and genuine authenticity. Ending on a standout track that really shows the incredible guitar, bass, drums, vocals doing what they do best with their own moments in the spotlight as the final track pulses on – you just know when you hear an album this solid in concept in style that we’ll be hearing much, much more to come from Omar Bowing.
Watch Omar Bowing’s wicked video for “Code Love” right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUJmKnRFYkQ
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