Review: Omega Infinity – The Anticurrent

Style: industrial black metal, avant-garde black metal, dissonant black metal (mostly harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Deathspell Omega, Ne Obliviscaris
Review by: Andy
Country: international
Release date: 24 February, 2023

The infinite abyss; unfathomable expanses of cosmic blackness; nothingness. These are the things that fuel Omega Infinity’s music. Distilling all the despair and horror of what lies between galaxies and beyond the observable universe, Omega Infinity shred apart the unwary listener on their newest concept suite, The Anticurrent. From the formless sea to the heat death of the universe, The Anticurrent preserves relentless intensity in their storytelling as the two members, Xenoyr (Ne Obliviscaris) and Tentakel P. (Todtgelichter), unleash distressing performances heralding doom. You cannot escape the rage of the universe. You are a speck of dust on a grain of sand on an infinite beach compared to the powers of Omega Infinity. 

Fittingly starting with “The Alpha,” The Anticurrent starts as the celestial aether aeons before any deity, creation, or order, an impenetrable track of nauseating shiftiness and abrasive electronica. For the entirety of the opening minutes, Xen howls–invoking pandemonium and chaos–above disgustingly polyrhythmic drums and piano arpeggios so obtuse as to give Plebeian Grandstand a run for their money. And once the void breaks open into sustained blast beats more recognizably black metal, layers of dissonant electronica render even that as abrasively challenging. Each subsequent track introduces another confounding element like the expectation defying yet somehow simple bass lick in “Banish Us from Eden” or the spoken word from Lindsay Schoolcraft in “Death Rays.” Omega Infinity refuse to let the listener become comfortable in the blackness, for something is always lurking just beyond perception even in the seemingly infinite emptiness. 

Lyrically, Xenoyr excels on The Anticurrent, even with a track that almost borders on silly (“Banish Us from Eden” discusses that sticks, stones, and atomic bombs break our bones), yet his vocals help maintain the terrifying vibe immaculately such that immersion isn’t really broken even if I do let out a chuckle every spin. Other tracks tackle the space concept excellently and directly: As much as I love Xen’s poetic Ne Obliviscaris lyrics, narratives are often lost on me there–not so here. Furthermore, this album very well could be Xen’s most impressive vocal performance yet, standing strong even against several of my favorite albums of all time. The inhuman wails and growls contrast nicely with suffocating blast beats and those eerie, melodic piano parts from Tentakel P. 

The sterile production benefits tracks like “Iron Age,” which relies on a military cadence, but despite fitting the theme, a bit more warmth could help The Anticurrent with being more listenable without sacrificing the abrasive edge. The only respite from the unending march through time comes in the form of the lovely guest performances courtesy of Adrienne Cowen (Seven Spires) and Lindsay Schoolcraft, both of which cleverly morph from a lull in intensity to become the intensity; Cowen croons a near-chorus in “Iron Age,” yet she reappears with sick growls and shrieks, and Lindsay’s spoken word starts innocently until layering outwards in an effort to disorient similar to Kriegsmachine on “The Other Death.” Finale of The Anticurrent “The Voices at the End of Time” similarly chants the title from numerous perspectives before swallowing you up with a slow minimalist piano, an incredible ending to the album proper announcing that the universe is dead. 

The final two bonus tracks, covers of Sear Bliss and Emperor, are made Omega Infinity’s own while keeping the spirit of the originals intact. The trumpet and pinch harmonics in “Night Journey” are particularly stellar along with the frantic synth jam. Moreover, while not my personal favorite Emperor track, “Ya Entrancemperium” in the ruthless, industrial stylings of Omega Infinity is an impressive and fun exercise of reinterpretation. The tracks also give us a glance into bands which inspire Omega Infinity, classic early black metal with a bit of incorporated progginess. 

Go sit in darkness and contemplate your frail existence as Omega Infinity intend. Let your head swirl with the black metal and ponder the electronic attack on your senses. Maybe if you’re lucky, false vacuum decay will end the universe without you realizing a thing during your listen. You are powerless: All is quiet.  

Recommended tracks: Iron Age, Banish Us from Eden, Voices from the End of Time
You may also like: Vous Atres, Plebeian Grandstand, Scarcity, Xenoglyph, Kriegsmachine, Portal, Todtgelichter
Final verdict: 7/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page

Label: Season of Mist – Bandcamp | Website | Facebook

Omega Infinity is:
– Tentakel P (instruments)
– Xenoyr (vocals)