Led by frontman Noah Sebastian, Bad Omens has seen a rise in popularity since the release of their third album ‘The Death of Peace of Mind’ in February 2022. But a question remains: Is Bad Omens truly a metal band?
Bad Omens’ latest album, ‘The Death of Peace of Mind,’ merges elements of pop with heavier undertones. However, it sparked discussions about its genre classification. Noah Sebastian sat down with NME in May to address the elephant in the room. On the success of ‘Just Pretend’ and the band’s goal to expand fans’ perspective on music, the singer said:
“I feel like it transcends genre, rock or metal, in a way that even people who don’t particularly listen to that type of music very often really like it. That’s always been the goal with this band, to expand the musical horizons of people both in and out of rock. I want people who don’t listen to rock and metal to get into it because of our band, and I want people that only listen to that to get into other genres because of our band.”
Talking about how the band doesn’t feel confined to the traditional constructs of rock or metal, he continued:
“We’re so experimental at this point that there are songs I would say are industrial songs with rock influences. We almost start with those elements to the point that throwing in guitars or live drums is like us adding rock after the fact.”
Since the release of ‘The Death of Peace of Mind,’ Bad Omens has achieved growth in their reach, resulting in turnouts at their live performances across North America, the UK, and Europe, with fans showing enthusiasm for both their old and new material.
One of their latest songs, ‘Just Pretend,’ recently garnered over 134 million Spotify streams and made waves on TikTok, marked by over 215 million views for the hashtag #badomensband. This suggests that their appeal extends beyond just metal enthusiasts.
Sebastian’s Thoughts On Bad Omens’ Musical Approach
Bad Omens’ approach to music and their intent to ‘expand people’s musical horizons’ has also contributed to the debate about their place in the metal community. It seems Sebastian is no stranger to these conversations. In the interview, he said he often checks metalcore Reddit threads and has noticed debates about Bad Omens’ genre classification.
Comparisons have been made between Bad Omens and Bring Me the Horizon, and both groups have been praised for reaching audiences outside of traditional metalcore circles. Sebastian acknowledged the inspiration he drew from Bring Me the Horizon, appreciating their ability to tread multiple genres while maintaining their essence. He told Metal Hammer:
“I think Bring Me The Horizon is a big inspiration, yeah. There’s no doubt they are the big breakout band from this scene. They are basically a genre all of their own now. They are exactly what they want to be. They can still write some really heavy songs, and that’s awesome – but then if they want to do a pop song, they do it. That’s so cool. If we could reach a place where we’re thought of in the same way, then that would be amazing.”
Speaking to NME, Sebastian also said that he feels metal music has a broader spectrum than many might think. Drawing a parallel to debates about Lil Nas X’s ‘Old Town Road‘ and its genre classification, Sebastian argued music should be enjoyed without getting bogged down in labels.
You can listen to ‘Just Pretend’ below.
