Band:	Lake Of Tears
Album:	Ominous
Style:	Gothic metal
Release date:	February 19, 2021
A review by:	nikarg

01. At The Destination
02. In Wait And In Worries
03. Lost In A Moment
04. Ominous One
05. Ominous Too
06. One Without Dreams
07. The End Of This World
08. Cosmic Sailor
09. In Gloom [bonus]

The only constant is change.

There are plenty of musicians out there but not that many artists. Daniel Brennare is an artist. Every Lake Of Tears album is different and every expectation from the listener is defied by the artist himself. As a result, each album has its own unique personality, while always possessing the distinctive sound of the band. Ominous is no exception.

Ominous was made to reflect Daniel Brennare's feelings on his physical illness (he was diagnosed with leukaemia shortly before Illwill) as well as to describe the emotional turmoil triggered by that diagnosis and the battle against it. These two monsters - the one that attacks the body and its 'brother' that messes with the mind - are depicted in the stunning cover artwork by Vladimir Chebakov. Standing before the two monsters, small and alone, is the cosmonaut, the hero of the metaphorical story that this album narrates. The lyrics are written almost exclusively in the first person and, with a basis like this, you can guess that Ominous acts as a therapeutic outlet for its creator. It can also take the same role for the attentive listener, especially if they have been through some similar experience themselves.

The album is very atmospheric and as far from a collection of hit songs as it can be. There is very little of that verse-chorus-verse-chorus motif, which makes it hard to digest at first. Its tone is really dark and it blends various styles, with the main elements being goth rock, doom, and post-rock. The spirit of David Bowie is also quite strong as is the Pink Floyd influence. Most of the record flows in a slow and brooding way, sometimes heavy, sometimes lighter, with "At The Destination" and "Ominous One" being the sole uptempo tracks. Its overarching characteristic is that it is very cinematic and the songs bleed into each other in a way that the album is best experienced as a whole rather than as the sum of its parts. "In Gloom" is the only song that is not part of the story and is featured as a bonus track because it was too good to be left out. It is a gripping track with melancholic strings, a moody stand up bass, and a Leonard Cohen vibe due to the particular singing of Daniel.

The production of Ominous is excellent, everything is heard crystal clear, every instrument, every sample, every sound has its own place, and the album has a lot of air to breathe despite its 'suffocating' subject matter. It took Lake Of Tears ten long years to release it but it is magnificent in every aspect. I don't mind waiting another ten years if its successor is as good as this, but I wish for Daniel to never find himself again in the cold, dark place that inspired Ominous.

According to the artist, this is how Ominous should be experienced. With different artwork for each song, without breaks, and without "In Gloom".

Also available on: Physical | Apple Music | Deezer | Spotify | YouTube Music

"Where are you now when I need you the most?
I need but a word in this night so close
I no longer remember the sound of your voice
How could you let me come here alone?
Leave me to wander this world of stone?"