Wormed – Omegon

It’s been a long time since we heard anything from Wormed. So long, in fact, that I was beginning to assume its members had all died and their bodies were thrown in a ditch. You can imagine my joy when I found out that not only was Wormed alive, but it was also dropping a new album: Omegon. Here, we return to the origins of MER, space Metal! However, Wormed has always done its own relentless and unapologetic thing. Can this new album top a short but consistent discography? Keep reading, astronaut.

My first question when entering Omegon was if it could somehow be heavier than Krighsu. That album was so heavy and violent that if Wormed became any heavier, they’d basically become imperceptible to the human ear. Omegon has turned the tables, slowing down and taking a more dissonant approach that reminds me a lot of Artificial Brain. Don’t despair; it’s still heavier than an Antonov. It sounds like music alien creatures have discovered/created math we can’t even fathom (are you a mathematical Platonist or formalist? Let me know!). There’s more space to breathe, and I’d even dare to say the production has improved. It’s actually not piercing a hole through my head, which is always a plus.

It’s absurd to imagine how this could sound live, since every track feels like the amalgamation of smaller tracks. You have odd tempos, disharmony to no avail, dark moments of aggression, and blast beats that will crush all your hope of a peaceful encounter with this alien civilization that speaks no other language than pure technical aggression. However, the biggest change I feel from previous works is that now the drums seem better mixed (they hit like old Cyptopsy!). They complement the rest of the instruments better, whereas in Krighsu, they were so all over the place that sometimes one couldn’t hear anything else.

What didn’t I enjoy? Well, it’s easy to say this thing is too heavy (weak!), but no, if you like your Brutal Death technical, this is a treat. Perhaps my only issue with the album is that in the search for pauses, the songs end up having little groove (and I get this is the kind of Death Metal that doesn’t mean to have any), similar to what you could find in slightly less technical acts like Faceless Burial. You won’t find such smooth and attractive transitions in Omegon, just abrupt tempo changes that might alienate you. But maybe you want to be beaten up in sequence—what do I know? Also, I appreciate the album is short because it practically only has one speed: brain-damaging speed.

Even so, it’s hard to deny the quality of this space horror journey. I can at least say it’s as good as anything done before by Wormed. It’s extremely reliable when it comes to the unearthly extremes it reaches, and it portrays another totally different interpretation of space in Metal. Hence, even if it’s not an album I’ll go back to every week, there’ll be room in my life for this assault here and there. I’m sure you basement dwellers will like it even more!

Label: Season Of Mist

Release date: July 5, 2024

Website: https://www.facebook.com/wormed

Country: Spain

Score: Cosmic secrets beyond your understanding, or 4.0/5.0? These creature don’t need our petty numbers!