CD Info
2011
Drakkar Records
11  Tracks
Mostly English Lyrics

Omega Lithium created quite a buzz on the metal scene when they released their video for the song "Stigmata" in mid-2009 and their debut album Dreams in Formaline a few months later. "Stigmata" got significant airplay in their home country of Croatia and around Europe and a year later the band gained a slot at the Metal Female Voices Festival in Belgium. Now the band is back with their sophomore effort, Kinetik. For a band who released an ear-catching debut, a second album can either make or break the band, and tell us whether we should continue following the band or leave them forgotten on our CD rack. Well, Kinetik is certainly the former; Omega Lithium have released an album full of epic riffs, catchy choruses, and generally accessible industrial metal that shows just how much the band have matured since their debut.

The thing that really stands out about Kinetik is the level of confidence the band exudes in their songs. Dreams in Formaline showed us a band with promise, but one that was just beginning to test the waters of the world as a band. Though generally good, the album had a few weak points, not to mention a few phrases here and there that were a bit hard to swallow in their awkwardness. On Kinetik, those kinks have been ironed out, and the songs are much stronger and professional sounding. The first single, "Dance With Me" (which recently hit #1 on the MTV Adria charts) really packs a punch and shows what this band is all about. Songs like "Time of Change," "I Am God," and "Cut Forget" feature killer riffs that really hit you in the face, while "Strip Me," "Breaking," and "Pjesma" have choruses that you’ll be singing in your head for a while. Mya shows a lot more confidence in her vocals, mostly abandoning the robotic tone that was so prominent on the debut and coming across much stronger and more mature. The title song "Kinetik" shows an interesting, more emotional side to her voice while "Cut Forget" shows that Mya would probably make an equally good army commander.

Kinetik also features a little more variety than the band’s previous effort. There are moments where the album actually slows down a bit, notably the last two songs; "Wind" is likely the closest that Omega Lithium comes to a ballad. The song "Pjesma" ("Song" in Croatian) deserves special attention because it makes an epic closer and changes things up not only in the tempo but in the language, half the lyrics being in the band’s native Croatian. This might just be the language geek inside me coming out, but that probably makes it one of the better songs on the album. I’d love to hear the band do this more often. Maybe on the next album?

I have few qualms with this album, although I will say that on occasion there is some inconsistency within the songs themselves. "Cut Forget" could have been the most epic songs on the album, but unfortunately falls through on the chorus. "Strip Me" has a similar problem; the chorus is memorable, but just doesn’t have enough oomph (for lack of a better term) to take it to the level it needs to be on. "I Am God" has a strong chorus, but the verses sound a bit awkward here and there.

Overall, however, Kinetik is a strong album that should take the band to new heights in the world of metal. If they stay on this track, Omega Lithium has a bright future, and I definitely look forward to their next album.

Standout tracks: "Colossus," "Dance With Me," "Time of Change," "Kinetik," "Breaking," "Pjesma."

8.5 / 10

• Prev
• Next