OmenBringer Takes the Ritual to Exit/In

OmenBringer wowed a packed Exit/In Friday —  one night after the moon turned a foreboding sanguine shade prior to the total lunar eclipse — with a healthy dose of the home-brewed theatrics and undeniably catchy metal anthems that are powering their grassroots rise. Their set capped off a strong three-band bill as heavy rock ’n’ roll briefly reclaimed the historic Rock Block.

Local power trio Karma Vulture’s “desert rock” blend of stoner rock, grunge and classic heavy metal opened the evening. They made good use of what remains one of the best-sounding rooms in town with high-volume renditions of Them Crooked Vultures’ “No One Loves Me & Neither Do I” and their own “Cheer Up.” Singer and bassist Conor Spellane, guitarist Will Hammond and drummer Ben Foerg also sprinkled in some new tunes, raising our hopes for a follow-up to 2023’s Something Better.

Next came Dead Feathers, a touring act out of Chicago. The titular song of 2023’s Full Circle and other standards from the band’s catalog unfold live as psychedelic soundscapes vividly painted with fuzzy guitar tones and anchored by top-notch live drumming. Lead singer Marissa Welu is a vocal powerhouse reminiscent of some of her mightiest heavy rock forebears, from Janis Joplin and Grace Slick to such cult favorites as Coven’s Jinx Dawson and Babe Ruth’s Jenny Haan. Indeed, Welu’s the special element, both onstage and in the studio, that separates Dead Feathers from the numerous other ’70s-worshipping psych-rock bands out there.

After being introduced by a costumed demonic figure with six-pack abs and an ominous voice, OmenBringer delivered on the hype they’ve received in Nashville’s always-crowded live music scene. Lead singer Molly Marie Kent engaged with the crowd in playful and flirty ways as the band tore through “Spells,” “Tungs” and other songs off the group’s 2024 album Thicc Darkness. Some yet to be released material made it onto the set list as well, with on-brand titles like “Monsturbation” previewing what’s to come.

Though they take their rock star aspirations and spooky imagery seriously, OmenBringer brings plenty of levity to interactions with their growing horde of fans. For instance, a pair of beach balls that looked like breasts got tossed into the crowd during Kent’s “ladies to the front” call before “B.T.G.G.F.” Kent joked afterward that she’d entertain offers to sell the props only if they weren’t separated.

Kent got sincere at times about the fan base she lovingly calls her coven. A vocal champion of LGBTQ rights, she described her trans and nonbinary followers as true rebels who live their truths despite being right-wingers’ existential threats du jour. She explained that metalheads who had long hair and wore eerie-looking band T-shirts during the Satanic Panic of the 1980s should be able to relate to being unfairly othered.

This was also OmenBringer’s first local show with drummer Julian Fleck. He rounded out the usual lineup of Kent, guitarist Cory Cline, bassist Mario Galati and rhythm guitarist Spookie Rollings. Time will tell whether the band achieves greater recognition beyond Music City’s borders, but for now, Kent isn’t blowing smoke when she refers to OmenBringer as hometown heroes. That’s because she’s built an inclusive coven that — based on the audience reaction on Friday — agrees with her assessment that the band offers one of the best all-around stage shows for the price of admission.

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