Putting a Dent in Metal

Odium Tours to Support New Album Three Years in the Making

Fringe ArtsAlex Giardini — Published July 10, 2012

While Walkerton, ON’s Odium, like many metal bands, harbour dreams of performing on the big stage, they have a soft spot for the small stage, too.

“Our favorite shows to play are definitely the small crazy ones where you’re getting beers poured down your throat and your amp knocked over,” said Andrew Fullerton, guitarist of the melodic and ferocious metallers.

The quintet does aspire to one day play the Iron Maiden-sized concerts that are synonymous with heavy metal, but for now, the band is getting their feet wet opening for the likes of Alexisonfire, Baptized in Blood and Threat Signal.

They forge fast and pulsating melodic metal in the vein of In Flames, with biting verses akin to Lamb of God. Vocalist Tom Emmans rips through the tracks, delivering highs, lows and clean singing for the choruses.

Receiving praise from a number of metal blog reviewers for their 2009 debut, At The Bottom, their 2012 release Burning the Bridges to Nowhere is an impressive offering that will definitely raise a few eyebrows.

What sets them apart from other metal bands is their song structure, having uniquely arranged melodies that correspond with stadium and arena-like choruses. Imagine Tool ditching their progressive style and forming a supergroup with Unearth.

Founded in 2006, Odium have been exhaustively clawing their way into the heads of heavy music lovers. They’ve been prepping their latest effort for three years.

“The idea has always been to write heavy, melodic music,” said Fullerton. “Being the first record we’ve done with this exact lineup, we think it’s a more accurate representation of our sound and what direction we’re going with it”.

Having generated positive reviews from media outlets such as Exclaim! and Blistering, the larger shows and tours may not be that far away. But Fullerton knows the dedication and sacrifice it takes to be accepted into the big leagues.

Despite the obstacles, he maintains that it’s doable:

“I guess the ultimate goal would be to quit our day jobs and be able to make a living touring full-time. It takes a lot of time and hard work, but it’s achievable if you are sincere and dedicated enough.”

Odium with Through Death, Mythosis & Shootdown Order / July 12 / Piranha Bar (680 Ste. Catherine St. W.) / $12.00