Bad Omens suffer from 'Rapid Success Syndrome' – a condition in which bands that catapult to the top with one release due to how well it is received and suddenly, they're industry plants, they're not heavy enough, they're not good enough. You name it – Bring Me The Horizon, Sleep Token, and of course, Bad Omens, have all fallen victim to RSS.
Bad Omens shot to superstardom within the metal community with their 2022 release, THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND. Despite the band having a well-documented discography going back until 2016, with their self-titled debut, the band was met with skepticism of their success, groups of people attributing the success of a metal band to being an 'industry plant' – whatever that means.
And it feels like "Specter" is Bad Omens' way of hitting back at those claims, embracing people's preconceptions of them not being 'heavy' enough, teasing listeners through the first two minutes, prodding gently at the idea of a heavier break in the song before full-sending it.
It's a song that builds without immediate pay-off, but the expected pay-off is still satisfying. And, there's a small twist at the end that has become somewhat of a Bad Omens signature.
Fans on Reddit were quick to point out the song felt like an album opener due to the structure of the track, and others were starting to hypothesise what the new record might be centred around, especially after fans had decoded a message that had been released several weeks ago, when Bad Omens emptied their socials, leaving only one video on X that said (transcribed by Redditors and Kerrang!):
"Hello friend.
If you found this message, you’ve completed the game. You don’t have to hide any longer. You must be wondering, was that all a dream?
And if so, do you finally see yourself? Are you satisfied with what you see? Do you feel love?
You’re nothing more than human. You break. You mend. You do your best to blend in with the madness, with the white noise. You are home now.
But if you want me to leave, I must leave. There’s nothing left of me to give to her. I won’t see you again someday.
Goodbye, friend."
After the initial video on X with the message above alongside the caption, 'Goodbye, friend,' Bad Omens started posting small snippets of 'therapy sessions' between Ryan Hurst (known for his acting in Sons of Anarchy and The Walking Dead) and a ghost to Instagram. There are about three parts in total.
The ghost is childlike. It has a child's voice and is the size of a child. And a child is revealed in the third snippet when Hurst asks the ghost to take off his mask. Then, there's a knock at the door meant for the child. It appears Hurst is trying to help the child reach the otherside. Then, by the fourth post, a section of the "Specter" music video was posted to socials.
However, this in combination with the dark and ominous nature of the music videos, other fans have started theorising that this "era" will be darker than before, and that it feels like it's "foreshadowing" a larger concept. This is further supported by the use of the same 'ghost' in both the teasers the band had been posting, as well as the music video itself. You can check the video out for yourself above.
There is no word of a new album, just the brand new single and music video, but with Bad Omens' resuming their cryptic ways, it's safe to assume an announcement is well on the way.
Until then, Bad Omens have two live performances this summer – Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky on September 20th (who also just announced they were adding a theme park to this year's festival) and Aftershock Festival in Sacramento, California on October 4th. You can check out tickets to both here.
