Review by Tymell for Omen - Battle Cry (1984)

A battle cry indeed, Omen's debut album is a rip-roaring ride through wild carnage and hedonistic revels. It takes the cheesy glory of NWOBHM and has some real fun with it, though it's a style that will be improved upon in years yet to come.

As a whole, it feels not dissimilar to the epic approach of Manowar, though where they opted for more of a mid-pace stomp, Omen take things a little faster and more ferocious (save for "In the Arena", which is pure Manowar). Where Manowar might be the steady, grandiose march to war, Omen are the energetic battle itself.

However, where I think bands like Manowar or Iron Maiden have the edge is in the uniqueness and focus of their output. With them, everything feels like it's locked on to creating something all their own, each song another flavour of this very clear end goal. Omen are undoubtedly good at what they do, but it's not quite such a unique end product, and a lot of the tracks can end up sounding like different passages of the same song.

Still, while maybe not as flavourful as a whole as some others, Battle Cry does have some killer offerings within. "Death Rider" and the title track are probably the best single examples of their brand of forceful power metal, ramping up the aggression of classic metal and adding in some fantastical theatrics. "Prince of Darkness" is also a blast, full of toe-tapping pace and lyrical acrobatics. The 'sleaze rock in a fantasy setting' lyrics of "Be My Wench" are a bit at odds with the battle metal music, but there's still some tasty forceful riffing there. And "The Axeman" knows exactly what it's about right from the get-go.

All in all, a solid offering of heavy metal beginning to branch out, even if some others managed to form a more distinct identity for themselves.

Choice cuts: The Axeman, Prince of Darkness, Battle Cry, Death Rider