Doomed Confessionary: Jay & Derek (Ommnus)
As members of sludge/doom band Wormfoot, as well as ex-members of countless other groups, Jay and Derek have been creating music together for well over a decade. While relentlessly touring the country in a multitude of outfits – that have spanned many genres – the two developed the idea of Ommnus. The initial idea would simply be a two-piece project that plays HEAVY music without limitation.
Fast forward a couple of years and that vision has manifested itself in a unique blend of thrash, rock and doom that the duo have branded as doom n’ roll. Incorporating that sound with a call and response vocal structure and the influence of thematic storytelling, the duo released their debut album »A Single Green Light« via Hell-Fi Records (US) and No Profit Records (EU) in the fall of 2020. Recorded live this first effort looks through the lens of a host of characters, both historically and fictionally, in order to shine light on aspects of the human condition that most others prefer to look away from. When asked to describe the album the only thing Jay and Derek would say is that “it’s a different kind of heavy.”
Ommnus are Jay Goldsmith (vocals, guitars, bass) and Derek Vaive (drums).
Can you say a few words about your band?
We are Ommnus, a duo out of Detroit, MI that blends doom, sludge, death and rock elements, while also sharing lead vocals. The vision for the band started out with wanting to create a project that married some of our favorite bands growing up. All we really knew is we wanted to be loud and intense. And quickly that transformed into heavy music without limitations or expectations.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Figuring out how we wanted to do the vocals. The two of us have been hired guns for other bands for years with only some backup vocal experience under our belts. So coming up with how we wanted to approach the vocals and actually performing them live was a big learning curve. I think in the end we managed to capture a unique style where we kind of trade off from one another, almost as if we are finishing each other’s lines, or even sometimes sounding like we are screaming at one another line for line.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Our debut album »A Single Green Light«. That album had a lot of challenges because we were writing and recording everything during Covid and the lockdowns. The many hurdles we all faced during that time forced us to be patient with our creative process, which I think led to our sound having a different approach than it would have.
What was your biggest regret?
No regrets. That’s not really how we roll. We just keep moving and focusing on the next step.
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Hard to pick out any specifically. We’ve been playing together for a long time and been in a lot of bands before we started Ommnus, which means there have been a lot of gigs/tours over the years and it all starts to blend together lol. But regardless, all the shows/tours are good and unique in their own way. We just love to jam and it doesn’t really matter to us what the situation is or how many people are there, we’ll connect with whoever’s in the crowd and put out the same energy and performance ’cause we love what we do.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
That’s a hard question. We’ve seen many changes over the years. One of the most recent would have to be how many venues went under because of Covid. That was a bummer most definitely, but it did result in a lot of cool DIY venues popping back up in weird and unconventional places, which I think actually made the scene stronger in a lot of areas.
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Unsane, Russian Circles, Bongripper, Trap Them, Generation Of Vipers, Helmet, Sepultura, Anthrax, White Zombie, Snapcase, Refused, Greenleaf, Raised Fist, Black Peaks, Zao and so many more.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
“Don’t overthink it. Write what you know, play what you love, and always perform from the heart.”
What are your guilty pleasures?
We both liked to party pretty hard back in the day. But now that we’re older we stick to all the pop and Liquid Deaths we can handle. I also drink a mega ton of coffee and eat far too many Cliff peanut butter crunch energy bars lol.
Can you say something more about the music scene in Detroit / Michigan?
One thing about the Michigan and Detroit scene that we love so much is it is very open/inclusive, diverse and caring. All kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds come together, help one another, and really celebrate each other, which is awesome.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
At the moment we are writing a new album and we will only have a handful of gigs throughout the summer, with some tours to follow prolly in the fall/winter. Right now we have June 22nd in Wausau, WI at the Polack Inn, and June 28th we will be in Detroit at Parts and Labor. Check back to the webpage for updates on shows.
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Just keep the progress and momentum moving forward, releasing records and playing shows/touring as much as possible. Being able to connect to people through music is what keeps us going and I don’t think we’ll ever really stop, as long as our bodies (especially our necks and spines) can take it lol.
How can people best support your band?
Come out to shows, buy some merch and bang your head with us!
Do you have any message for your listeners?
If you’re a fan of underground music we thank and appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. Your love and support is why bands like us can exist and that will forever mean the world to us.
Links:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well