Ommatidia – In this Life, or the Next (2011)

In the last few years we have noticed a wide variety of French bands with very unique music such as Alcest, Les Discrets, Amesours, etc. Today Ommatidia takes the spotlight with its very unique mixture of Doom and Gothic Metal with atmospheric elements, creating a very fresh blend of sounds.

Powered by ex-The Old Dead Tree members Nicolas Chevrollier (guitar) and Vincent Danhier, this band is ready to enchant people with their unique and well crafted sound. Paired alongside very creatively crafted music, the excellent vocals of Guillaume Richard bring that staple needed to identify a band even while intoxicated.

Building up the momentum with the epic “Only Found by Those Who Seek”, the band immediately reminded us of good old Decoryah and similar bands. “Starspeed God” starts like a traditional Gothic Rock/Metal song but nicely transforms with some Doom elements near the end and from here on the album takes you into a magical musical journey bleeding through different genres and sounds.

With “Serendipity” the band goes a bit more atmospheric and Doom-ish creating a track that sounds a bit like The Man Eating Tree and their melancholic sound. Things get a bit more experimental in tracks like “Senses Commotion” and “Disclosure”, showing the band’s versatility. Other tracks like “Shy Away” and “Leaning on Complete Affinity” have a stronger Gothic Metal edge and keep the listener wondering what the band will do next.

Our favorite track has to be the melancholic “Naked Truth”. In this song, the weeping guitars create a very powerful atmosphere that is nicely complemented by some keyboards and effective vocal melodies. After this track we couldn’t wait to give this CD more than a few spins before fully digesting the band’s sound.

In general, Ommatidia provides a clear example that you can still combine several genres of music and come up with something quite original. The band is still trying to find their own sound and with this release they have shown the wide palette of elements they are working with. If you are in the market for something that blends genres seamlessly and creates very effective songs, get “In This Life, or the Next” you will not regret it.

Release: March 21st, 2011

Country: France