Bad Omens

About Bad Omens

Bad Omens started in 2015 when vocalist Noah Sebastian decided to put together a band in Richmond, Virginia that could match the metalcore sound bouncing around his head. He recruited guitarist Joakim Karlsson, bassist Nick Ruffilo, and eventually drummer Nick Folio. The name came from a 2004 horror movie called "The Omen," which tells you something about the aesthetic they were going for.

They self-released their debut album "Bad Omens" in 2016, then got Sumerian Records to reissue it later that year. The record had that familiar metalcore template down—breakdowns, clean-sung choruses, screamed verses—but there was something a bit more polished about their approach. Songs like "Glass Houses" and "The Worst in Me" showed they could write hooks that stuck around after the heaviness faded. They weren't reinventing anything, but they were doing it well enough that people noticed.

"Finding God Before God Finds Me" arrived in 2019 and pushed things further into atmospheric territory. The production got bigger, the electronics more prominent, the whole thing more ambitious in scope. "Careful What You Wish For" and "Mercy" leaned into this moody, almost industrial-tinged sound that set them apart from the chug-and-breakdown crowd. Noah's clean vocals took up more space, and the band seemed less interested in proving they were heavy than in building something darker and more textured.

Then 2022's "The Death of Peace of Mind" really changed the conversation around them. Working with producer Zakk Cervini, they made an album that pulled as much from Nine Inch Nails and Deftones as from Architects or Parkway Drive. "Just Pretend" became a legitimate hit, the kind of song that crossed over beyond their core fanbase. "What It Cost" and "Artificial Suicide" showed a band comfortable moving between crushing heaviness and electronic experimentation without it feeling forced. The album went to number 13 on the Billboard 200, which is the kind of thing that makes labels and booking agents pay attention.

These days they're headlining bigger venues and playing festivals where they're not just another metalcore band on the bill. They've figured out how to keep the heavy stuff around while exploring sounds that probably would've gotten them flamed on message boards a decade ago. Noah handles most of the writing and production, which gives them a consistent vision even as they drift further from where they started.

They're in that interesting spot where they've outgrown their initial scene but haven't fully crossed over into something else. The fans who found them early are still around, but now there are people showing up who probably couldn't name another metalcore band if pressed. That's usually when things get interesting.

Bad Omens shows get loud and physical without feeling reckless. The pit stays relatively controlled but absolutely moving. Noah Sebastian commands the stage naturally, not trying too hard. The crowd sings along to everything. People are there for the band, not their phones.

Known for THE WORST IN ME, STOP THE TIME, ARTIFICIAL SUICIDE, RECKLESS, LIKE A MIRACLE

See Bad Omens Live