OMNEROD is a Progressive Death Metal band formed in Brussels, Belgium in 2009. From Bandcamp, "Influenced by Classic and Modern Progressive acts as well as inspiring sources from various other genres, OMNEROD crafts richly layered and intricate songs that flow from beautiful melodies to roaring aggression. Always thriving to explore fresh musical grounds, is now working on a third full-length effort that should yet again showcase new artistic directions." The new album has seven songs.

"Sunday Heat" is the first. The opening instrumental tones are very heavy and dissonant, but the vocals are melodic...an odd combination of sounds. At the half-way mark, the vocals turn harsh, and the full extent of orchestral elements is evident. It also gets progressively more complicated. "Satellites" is a near-12-minute opus. Out of the gates, the rich and complex weighted sound can be heard. There is a lot going on here. In the background are charming piano notes mixed with the expressive riffing. They remind me of WILDERUN in this case, and they command the meter like they are just toying with all the changes. Through the length of the song, there are many different elements in the stew, while they keep somewhat of a central sound.

"Spore" is another lengthy offering. It has jovial opening tones, on a simple melody like, and you can hear the bass thumping away in the background. The first chorus is absolutely beautiful, yet you can feel the song growing dark. When the storm hits, it hits hard, but is gone just as quickly as it came. The lead guitar work is fantastic, and I like the way that the band constantly teases you with the dark, biting elements. "Magnets" begins with a strong mixture of aggressive and melodic elements, even amidst the deep vocal screams. The half-sleeping beast from the earlier track is now fully awake and on the prowl. Melody peeks out at the quarter-way mark but then retreats. The level of complexity in this music is very hard to keep up with.

Segueing into the title track, it begins with heavy and thick guitar rhythms. Melody is not far behind, however. Again, it's the masterful combination of these two things that leaves me near speechless as a reviewer. The harsh passage that follows is about as massive as anything that I have heard this year. They bring it all together at the end, with a magnanimous crescendo of sounds. "Towards the Core" begins with smoother elements, but the massive roar of harsher sounds bubble in the background. They stay put there for now. They are unleashed at the half-way mark, with a rousing passion. "The Commensal Fall" closes the album. Heavy, chugging accents open the song. Again, the meter shifts are so expertly done, they are seamless. This song twists and turns like a fledgling tree in a hurricane, as it grows progressively more chaotic, ending with a deep boom.

This band is insanely talented. They push the boundaries of even what Progressive Metal fans are used to so wide, they nearly snap under the weight of it all. This could be viewed as the album's greatest strength, or its greatest weakness. I choose the former. When you talk about the giants of Progressive Metal, don't sleep on OMNEROD. They are just as good at deep, dissonant sounds as they are with bright melodies. Their technical mastery is also as sharp as a razor. The fact that they remain an independent band must mean that they have had their choice of suitors...I mean, how else can you explain this? "The Amensal Rise" is definitely going on my list as one of the best releases of 2023.