Omission

The More You Want It (2006)

Jordan Rogowski

Fresh off a split with fellow Michigan natives Comrade Kilkin, Omission have brought their gritty punk rock back once again, this time for a full-length effort, one that really gives them ample opportunity to expound on the potential shown on that split. With exactly 60 minutes' worth of those opportunities on The More You Want It, this four-piece shows exactly why they deserve some recognition.

More than anything else, Omission succeed at laying a great rhythm down at the very base of the song. They recognize that rhythm is what everything else must be built from, and subsequently each song finds them one step ahead before the vocals even enter the picture. With gritty delivery and cascading riffs that pick up intensity by the minute, they constantly lay down a great foundation from which to build.

Take "Solitude Is My Only Attribute," a song that bursts out of the gate with some powerful chord progressions before settling into a very quick groove that stays throughout. Its quick rhythms like this that keep what could be a fairly mundane punk rock song interesting. That's not to say the rest of the band doesn't have merit, but with a record that just about eclipses the hour mark, things have to stay interesting somewhere. Luckily, what's lost in brevity is made up for in a constantly changing approach from the band's two guitarists.

Don't discount the vocalist, though, as he's able to keep the album pretty rough around the edges. His scruffy delivery is a welcome addition to the ruckus his bandmates are constantly creating. His delivery also goes through several transitions through the course of the album, anywhere from a more subdued singing to a borderline scream that amps up the volume a few notches and invites the bassist, guitarists, and drummer to do the same.

The one issue I do have with the record, as mentioned earlier, is it can grow to be a bit tiresome. An hour isn't exactly on the short side of things, especially not with this type of music, and I feel like some people may find it trying to listen to all 12 tracks in one sitting.

Regardless of minor qualms like that, I still do find a lot of promise in these guys, albeit they're still really trying to find their sound. Once they do, and once they trim a bit of the "fat," so to speak, I'll stand by my statement of this being a band to really look for.