Ever since Okay Omen loudly announced its presence with a debut single and accompanying music video almost exactly two years ago, we’ve tried our best to keep tabs on the local emo outfit that features members of Sugar Stems, Garden Home, and Live Tetherball Tonight in its ranks. We raved about the band’s first EP (last year’s So It Goes…), booked them for our Milwaukee Record Halftime Show series, and included “Clerestory”—the lead single off the band’s forthcoming EP—on our Spring 2024 playlist.
Today, Okay Omen’s output increased in both size and quality with the release of a second single from the band’s Echoes Of Loss EP that’s due out later this year. True to its name, “Headlock” instantly grabs hold of listeners and doesn’t let go, as a fierce frenzy of distorted guitar, meaty bass, and robust percussion swells around Chase Hoffman’s most aggressive vocals to date. As the nearly four-minute song persists, a moody sound grows darker and increasingly harsh until finally exploding into a brash and scream-filled crescendo.
Between Cody Ratley’s production prowess, top-notch mastering by Mystery Room Mastering, and the song itself, “Headlock” is something we’ve never quite heard from Okay Omen before now…and something that makes us even more excited to hear the rest of the EP. You can hear “Headlock” live when Okay Omen plays at X-Ray Arcade on Tuesday, July 2 as part of a show that also features Adjy, Jagalchi, and Royal Mill. Before that, you can/should also stream the song below.