Recently, the Dutch band Bad Omen released a new tape. This release not only shows that these guys can seriously rock, but it also captures the raw atmosphere of a Bad Omen live show—you can almost smell the beer and sweat. Time, then, to ask Bad Omen a few questions.
Bad Omen feels raw, filthy, and dirty. When listening to the live demo, you can almost smell the sweat and beer. Is this the true essence of Bad Omen?
HOT RIFFS, COLD BEERS AND EVIL ANCIENT ROCK ARE ETERNAL! Yes, the live tape captured the total essence of Bad Omen: raw, dirty, a bit to fast and always noisy, but that is the way we roll!
You are all seasoned warriors in the extreme Metal scene. What made you decide to reach back to the ‘80s for inspiration?
We wanted to play the music we loved since our early teens! Who needs to invent the wheel of rock when it’s already done? No need for originality or other stupid shit; we need pure power & aggression of the old days, since these new ones have NOTHING to offer!
Nowadays, many older Metalheads may see your approach as retro. Personally, I think it feels very fitting and refreshing, especially in these times of AI and all the rest. How do you see it yourselves?
Is it retro if you been doing this stuff most of your life? Fuck AI and the horse it road in on; if you use it to create music, art or anything else, you are a TOTAL LOSER! I’ve heard bands use it for artwork or music and it’s the lamest shit ever; taking credit for something a digital
Robot created for you? Get the fuck outta here you WIMP!
Your artwork for the demos and the record is anything but ordinary. Where do the ideas come from, and who is responsible for the execution?
Our singer / drummer is the best artist alive and long after his soon be happening DEATH he will be finally recognised: he is a true master with a piece of paper & a sharpy!
Are there particular bands or albums from the ‘80s that you consider to be the foundation of Bad Omen?
VENOM!!
Your music sounds as if it was written for the stage. What does a Bad Omen show look like? And do younger and older generations of Metalheads react differently at your gigs?
All generations react the same; either they are fully possessed by the blood, sweat and beers – the power of the simple riff to break their necks! The urge to stomp someone in the ribs when moshing, to dive of the stage in bestial rage! Fist in the air, licking the sweat of the ceiling! Total maniac shit… or they look in disgust or fear because they are total WIMPS… but those losers rarely attend a Bad Omen show!
BAD OMEN is for lunatics only who like to guzzle beer, pound their fist in the air, praise the ancient evil rock and want to wake up with tinnitus in their ears, being sore in every muscle of their body, have bruises every where and smell like death, without having a coherent memory…
If people are looking for tightly played well executed music, originality and a nice stage show, they need to go somewhere else, because Bad Omen takes pride in bringing a chaotic & energetic concert with loud & shit sound, stuff going wrong and amps or drumkit falling apart; it’s a real show by a real band – no safe cosplay: if people want to hear perfect music, they rather stay home and listen to some other band on Spotify!
How do you experience the current underground scene in the Netherlands and Belgium?
We happily don’t expierence it at all since we prefer to stay away from those clowns and their circus!
Do you feel connected to other bands in the Thrash/Black corner, or do you prefer to remain fully independent?
Sure, we have bands / friends but we prefer to keep our circle as small as possible… actually not having a circle at all…. Most bands are cowards anyway!
What stinks worse: a rehearsal room after three hours of playing, or a packed bar show on a Friday night?
Both smell the same; beer & sweat with a hint of cigarettes and Blood!
Do you think younger listeners who grew up with perfect digital productions can appreciate your sound, or is Bad Omen mainly music for veterans?
If they don’t, they are lost! Bad Omen is for anyone and for no one! Bad Omen is only for ourselves, since we like to play the music we loved since we where teens…. There’s no bigger plan behind it!
What role does nostalgia play in your music, and where do you draw the line with innovation? And are there themes or ideas you would never want to include in Bad Omen?
Can it be nostalgia if you never stopped listening or doing this kind of shit?
Do you experience tension between holding on to the underground mentality and the wish to still reach a bigger audience?
Nope… not at all; with Bad Omen we prefer a small dive bar with 30 people over a big stage with 1000 people. It’s better to get the music & message across with hair in your bass, planting your foot in a face or a moshed falling through and amp; a bottle flying into a cymbal, almost choking in the hot damp air of sweat – than having this big stage with the crowd 4 meters away standing pressed against a barrier; we’ve done both scenarios, but for us, the essence will always be the true dedicated maniacs in a small stinking room!
Your music sounds like chaos on tape. How chaotic are you outside the band, in daily life?
Controlled chaos – chaos controlled…
What will 2025/2026 bring for Bad Omen? Is there a clear plan, or is it more of a go-with-the-flow approach?
With a band like us, we just go with the flow, things never go as planned, so what is the point of announcing stuff when nothing is solid; maybe also some words of wisdom for some bands, that keep announcing an upcoming announcement; just wait and see and keep your childmouth shut until something concrete is there to actually offer!
The famous last words are yours…
HAIL ANCIENT EVIL ROCK!