Omnivide – A Tale of Fire

Canadian band Omnivide fall firmly under the symphonic progressive death metal banner. They hail from Moncton, New Brunswick, which apparently has a flourishing metal scene. This five-piece outfit have spent the last four years writing and recording their debut album. Entitled “A Tale of Fire,” it is set for a March 2024 release and has made an instant and favourable impression on me.

A short search on the internet provided me with an explanation of the band’s name. It is constructed from two parts – omni – meaning everything and – vide – meaning emptiness or nothing. So, the name Omnivide means everything and nothing all at once. The band formed in 2020 from three members of an Opeth tribute band called Sunbird. Presumably, they were ready to write their own stuff for a change. After a few early personnel changes the current lineup was cemented in 2023.

The orchestral introduction to ‘Clarity’ leaves you in no doubt that heavy and majestic things are to follow. That is exactly what happens, first the majestic and then the heavy before it explodes into full on death metal. The song deals with growing up and the harsh realities of life and sometimes the difficulty of accepting them. This is a fine introduction to the band and a good example of what to expect from them.

There is no subtle intro to ‘Opulence,’ it is straight in with whirling guitar and heavy riffs. This escalates to even heavier realms but with some clean singing. The song is about how we humans are consuming our home planet like gluttons.

A very brief orchestral piece leads in to ‘Desolate’ but soon gives way to a high-speed onslaught. Such is the nature of the band’s material though that this is interspersed with dramatic chord sequences, choirs, and guitar solos. Then like the calm after a storm comes the opening orchestral strains of the title track’ A Tale of Fire.’ The band describe the track as a metaphor for someone who has lost control and is overwhelmed by emotions. Suitably chaotic, the music reflects this by veering from one style to another laying waste to all in its path.

Photo Credit – Deepti Suddul

A cheery concept regarding the end of life, the universe and everything is the subject of ‘Cosmic Convergence.’ The grandiose structure of the track suggests this inevitability is not such a terrible thing really. Intricate guitar work mingles with choirs, complex drumming, growls, clean vocals, and the ever-present orchestration. It is stirring stuff indeed.

One of my favourite tracks is ‘Holy Killer’ which lyrically tackles an imagined irony. A person dies and ends up in hell because of their evil deeds carried out in the name of their religion. This is not the afterlife they were supposedly promised by their god. The reason I like this song so much apart from the subject matter is the amount of variety it offers. It is a veritable smorgasbord of styles despite being one of the shorter numbers on the album. They even manage to fit in a guitar/keyboard battle along with loads of orchestral layers.

Towards the end of the album the subject matter moves more into the world of fantasy. Starting with ‘Death Be Not Proud’ which is about a person meeting the Grim Reaper. They beg the ghostly figure to kill the person they have become. That way they can be reborn and given another chance at a good life, avoiding the mistakes of their previous lifetime. As befitting the theme, it is both heavy and mournful. Bizarrely the softer vocals bring to mind The Smiths if they did death metal that is! Any other comparison stops there I must add.

The final track ‘Stoned Dragon’ tells a tale that the cover artwork depicts. The song is a story about a dragon whose duty is to protect a village. Once human and the leader of that village, he had to sacrifice himself and become a dragon to protect his people. Centuries have passed since then, and the villagers have forgotten that the dragon is their ancient leader and meant to be their protector. Instead, they fear him and view him as a monster. This angers the dragon and after a few years he loses control and burns down the village. He then ends his own life in deep regret at his loss of control that led him to murder the people he was meant to protect.

This last offering has a bit of a tongue in cheek feel to it and even some humour. There are lines in the lyrics that talk about the dragon smoking weed to calm himself. That could be one interpretation of the song title. Musically it

follows the story as well as the lyrics telling it with each section reflecting the chapters in this tale of sword and sorcery. The track finishes on a guitar solo which is a satisfying end to an excellent album.

Photo Credit – Deepti Suddul

I am still trying to figure out how to pronounce Omnivide, but that has not diminished my enjoyment of this album. The mix of styles in the material on “A Tale of Fire” speaks volumes to me. Debut albums are always a great stepping stone for bands, and I hope this landmark moment will spur them on. I am sure they have plenty of ideas in their locker and I look forward to hearing more from them.

Track Listing:

1. Clarity
2. Opulence
3. Desolate
4. A Tale of Fire
5. Cosmic Convergence
6. Holy Killer
7. Death Be Not Proud
8. Stoned Dragon