Omen is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by lead guitarist Kenny Powell.
The band was formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1983 by lead guitarist Kenny Powell, previously with the band Savage Grace, and signed on with Metal Blade in 1984, with whom they released their debut, Battle Cry. (It contained the song "The Axeman", which appeared on the soundtrack for the heavy metal-themed 2009 video game Brütal Legend.)
In 1985, the second album Warning of Danger followed. In 1986, they released The Curse, their first release with major label distribution by Capitol Records in the US. In Japan the band climbed to number 14 in the Burrn! Charts.
With new singer Coburn Pharr (who would later leave to join Annihilator), the band released Escape to Nowhere in 1988, which contained "Thorn in Your Flesh". This track was their first hit single in the US.
In 1996, they signed with new label Massacre Records and toured Europe with Fates Warning for the first time. In October 2003, their former singer, J.D. Kimball, died, having succumbed to cancer after three years of treatment.
Currently, Omen has released seven studio albums worldwide, and a 20th anniversary box set. The release Hammer Damage has been delayed for more than eight years and was released in 2016 via DSN Music.
In 2019 they released a new EP named âÂÂAliveâÂÂ.
Omen is still touring Europe, South America, and the USA.
The band played at the Hell's Heroes music festival held in Houston in March 2024. They returned to the festival the following year. Later in 2025, former bass guitarist Jody Henry died from a brain haemorrhage on October 12.
Current members
Former members