Review by UnhinderedbyTalent for Omen - Battle Cry (1984)

There's not a lot wrong here I have to say. Considering the fact that I had never heard of the band until this week it is surprising that they have flown under my radar for such a long time with them having such a strong debut to kick off their careers with.  The bands style of aggressive power metal with a NWOBHM edge and some firm nods to the traditional aspects of the heavy metal sound are right up my street I have to admit.

Formed by guitarist Kenny Powell the band had a bit of a disrupted tenure, being completely inactive from 1989 through to 1996.  Their initial first four years together saw a steady decline in quality from their debut culminating in the much derided 1988 offering, Escape to Nowhere featuring Coburn Pharr of Annihilator fame on vocals.  The late J.D. Kimball held the vocal seat for the first three albums and what a great job he did.  His gruff and yet also melodic style embellished the power metal aspect of the band's sound well and is one of the real memorable points from the debut album for sure.

Also of particular note is how tight the band are generally in terms of their sound on this record.  They sound well organised and well-heeled also, taking not overly complex tracks and letting them shine with memorable choruses and energetic lead guitar work courtesy of the aforementioned Kenny Powell.  The percussion section motors along, perpetuating the feeling of the cohesive unit whilst the odd smattering of fantastical theatre elevates the tracks they are present on to new and intriguing heights.

Working tirelessly for ten tracks of enchanted drama the band incorporates a selection of song titles to make the teenager in everyone squeal in delight.  Who doesn't want to hear an album in full when you see tracks like Dragon's Breath, Be My Wench and Prince of Darkness on the album listing?  Neat find to get me through quarantine and beyond.