Bad Omens

Bad Omens began as a secret side project of Noah Sebastian, who first conceptualized the project while still a member of Washington, D.C.-based metal group Immoralist. Armed with some lyrics and vague ideas about the direction of the hypothetical band, he recruited old friend Nicholas Ruffilo before adding Vincent Riquier (who departed after their debut) and Joakim Karlsson to round out Bad Omens. The Virginia-based band released their self-titled first project in 2016, which immediately established them as a pummelling force in the alternative metal scene, unafraid to incorporate a bevy of unexpected influences into their work. Ripping double bass drum patterns stand side by side with group choruses and longing, emo-inspired vocal performances. This obsession with experimentation was crystallized on 2022’s THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND, which reimagined the genre as a sleazy, synth-led universe adjacent to coldwave, industrial, punk, and, surprisingly, darker strands of pop music.