Omen

All Music Guide:

Although not a huge name in the metal world, Omen has enjoyed a small cult following among headbangers since the early '80s. Omen is best-known for melodic yet aggressive power metal/fantasy metal along the lines of King Diamond, Queensrÿche, Savatage, Manowar, and Helloween; Omen is forceful and hard-driving, but they're always been musical and melodic. The band was formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by lead guitarist Kenny Powell, who had been a member of an L.A.-based band called Savage Grace. Powell's early influences included Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, UFO, Ronnie James Dio, Black Sabbath, and Rainbow (among others), and Omen's Metal Blade and Enigma recordings of the '80s reflected the guitarist's appreciation of those headbangers. Omen has had its share of lineup changes over the years; in addition to Powell, the band's early members included lead singer J.D. Kimball, bassist Jody Henry, and drummer Steve Wittig. In 1984, Omen signed with the L.A.-based Metal Blade and recorded their debut album, Battle Cry, which was followed by Warning of Danger in 1985, The Curse in 1986, Nightmares in 1987, and Escape to Nowhere in 1988. Throughout the '80s, glam metal, pop-metal and hair bands were huge on the L.A./Hollywood rock scene -- the Sunset Strip was inundated with bands that hoped to be the next Quiet Riot, Poison, or L.A. Guns. But when other L.A. bands were heavily into the glam scene, Omen was a power metal band first and foremost.

When Kimball left Omen in 1987, Powell hired Coburn Pharr to be the band's new lead singer. Pharr appeared on 1988's Escape to Nowhere, and not long after that, Powell decided to discontinue Omen. But in 1996, Powell opted to revive Omen and assembled a new lineup that included Andy Haas on bass, Ricky Murray on drums, and Greg Powell on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. Kenny Powell wanted to rehire Kimball as Omen's lead vocalist, but when he was unable to get ahold of him, he recruited his son Greg Powell. After singing on Omen's 1997 comeback album Recovering the Gates, Greg Powell decided to leave his father's band -- he was interested in pursuing a more contemporary alternative metal direction -- and put together his own band Stomping Ground. Greg Powell was replaced by Kevin Goocher, a veteran of Dallas' rock scene -- and in 2003, Omen's lineup of Kenny Powell, Kevin Goocher, Ricky Murray, and Andy Haas recorded Eternal Black Dawn for the Phoenix, AZ-based Crash Music. 2003 marked Omen's 20th anniversary.

Wikipedia:

An omen (also called portent or presage) is a phenomenon that is believed to foretell the future, often signifying the advent of change. Though the word "omen" is usually devoid of reference to the change's nature, hence being possibly either "good" or "bad," the term is more often used in a foreboding sense, as with the word "ominous". The origin of the word is unknown, although it may be connected with the Latin word audire, meaning "to hear."

Ancient Rome

Ancient Roman religion employed two distinct types of professional omen readers. Augurs interpreted the flights of birds, while haruspices employed animal sacrifice to obtain the entrails necessary for divination.

Astrology

In the field of astrology, solar and lunar eclipses (along with the appearance of comets and to some extent the full moon) have often been considered omens of notable births, deaths, or other significant events throughout history in many societies. One biblical example is the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew who predicted the birth of Jesus after seeing the Star of Bethlehem.

Good or bad

Omens may be considered either good or bad depending on their interpretation. The same sign may be interpreted differently by different people or different cultures.

For example, a superstition in the United States and other countries across Europe indicates that a black cat is an omen of bad luck.

Comets also have been considered to be both good and bad omens. The best-known example is probably Halley's Comet, which was a "bad omen" for King Harold II of England but a "good omen" for William the Conqueror.

Indian Astrology

"Nimmita" or "shukuna shastra" is the identification and interpretation of omens in Hindu astrology.

Omens seen, heard, or even visualized at the initiation of an activity are said to foretell the outcome of the activity. Shakun & Utpaatsis a branch of Indian astrology dealing with; interpretation of dreams, status of living & non-living items in the environment, sounds produced by human & animals, analysis of portents, and modes of pacification of adverse omens and portents. It acts as a guide in horary astrology when there is a stalemate. In Nimmita it is thought that coming events reveal their results prior to them actually occurring in a means similar to foreshadowing in stories.

According to Nimmita, omens observed at the start of an action foretell its outcome. As a result when an adverse omen occurs some practitioners of Nimmita will say the activity should not be initiated.

The treatises on Hindu astrology have discussed omens in detail in regards to "travel elections". On seeing an inauspicious omen the treatises state the person should halt their journey and return to the starting point. Upon reaching the starting point the traveler is advised to recite Pranayam (a specific Mantra’s recitation) eleven times and then start the journey once more. If an inauspicious omen is again seen during the trip the traveler should return to the starting point once more and recite Pranayam 16 times, restarting the journey once more. Should an inauspicious omen be observed a third time the treatises state the journey should be abandoned.

Interpretation

In Nimmita numerous different aspects of the omen come into play in interpreting what the omen means. The severity of an omen is assessed based on its position with respect to the observer, its direction in respect to the observer, the time of its observation, the speed of the omen, the sounds heard during the omen, and the place where an omen is observed.