Omega Lithium - Kinetik (2011)^{Release ID: 41873}

It really is sad when a few of the best bands I've ever listened to end up splitting up so soon. After only 4 years and two albums, the band members parted ways. Guitarist Malice Rime and bassist Zoltan Harpax formed a different band with a more folk-ish take on their sound, Manntra. Drummer Torsten Nihill joined death-thrashers Monox. No one knows what happened to vocalist Mya Mortensen, but hopefully she's still around.

See, very few bands ever made their music almost entirely perfect throughout the career, but this band is a rarity! Kinetic continues the talented vocals and instrumentation that made Dreams in Formaline a shining star.

"Colossus" shows that the band had the potential to keep rolling after two albums, but sadly declined that opportunity. This is an awesome epic start to this album. This is more kick-A than Rammstein! It really continues where the band left off in their debut Dreams in Formaline. It makes me think of what would happen if Theatre of Tragedy continue the industrial pop rock elements of Musique and Assembly in Storm while keeping that album's gothic metal comeback, or simply a more industrial Evanescence. They should really reform sometime. "Dance With Me" is another pretty great song to enjoy for some of this band's gothic industrial metal sound. "Strip Me" has this broken desire kind of theme. "Time of Change" is a heavier track that grants you the ability to catch the world in your hands.

The title track perfectly exemplifies what the album is made of, from the beating heart. "Salvation Refused" shows that your battles against life aren't always fair, but you can overcome them. "I Am God" is the kind of song that makes you question your beliefs of God, but it doesn't affect me. "Breaking" is another absolutely underrated highlight.

For some over-the-top marching, check out "Cut Forget" for what sounds like a crossover between Joan Jett and anthemic hard rock. "Wind" is a nice softer track to fill the air. The album's final track "Pjesma (A Song)" marks the band's swan song. It's a shining straight anthem, partly sung in the band's native language. I almost feel like crying in both sadness and joy. There's also a bonus remix of the title track, but I prefer the original.

And there you have it, Omega Lithium, probably the best lesser-known female-vocal symphonic-infused gothic/industrial metal band to come from Europe. It's a refreshing break from any of the other genres I enjoy, and if the band was more popular, they wouldn't have disappeared after a short career. Let their music live on!

Favorites: "Colossus", "Time of Change", "Kinetik", "Breaking", "Cut Forget", "Pjesma (A Song)"