Omans Feeling at Home in Enterprise Earth

An interview with Joel Omans

By George Archibald
Photos by Andrew Bastion

Joel Omans from Enterprise Earth

What would Summer Slaughter be if it didn’t shine the light on upcoming metal acts that are taking the world by storm. On this year’s rendition of the festival that has been known to host the cream of the crop of extreme metal, Enterprise Earth was asked to join the lineup. This band began in late 2014, the brain child of Dan Watson and BJ Sampson. This band is a supergroup of the who’s who of metal, with Watson (vocals) coming from Infant Annihilator, BJ Sampson (guitar) coming from Takeover, and Yusef Johnson (guitar), Gordon McPherson (bass), and Aaron O’Toole (drums) having come from working with I Declare War. Then early this year the band announced that Joel Omans (guitar) formerly of Rings of Saturn, would be joining the band on a permanent basis. I got to speak with Omans, on how things were going since he joined the band, and what kind of influence he will have on the bands’ future musical endeavors.

GA: First off, how did you begin playing guitar? Were you self-taught or did you take formal lessons?

JO: When I was younger, I took a couple lessons with a guy down the street at a guitar shop. I didn’t really enjoy it. I liked the challenge of teaching myself. So ever since then, I have been doing it all myself really.

Enterprise Earth – Yusef Johnson Photo By Andrew Bastion

GA: I know you started with a guest solo for Enterprise Earth on the song Transorbital Awaking, while you were in Rings of Saturn but later turned into a full time gig with the band. How did that all come about?

JO: After I left Rings of Saturn, BJ Sampson the guitar player for Enterprise Earth, hit me up. I didn’t know quite at that moment, what I wanted to do. So I figured I would do a guest solo on their album to keep my name afloat, and help them out at the same time. That was where the relationship was formed right there.

GA: What has become of Animation Sequence? Do you plan to continue on with that project or has it been sidelined since joining Enterprise Earth?

JO: I have been definitely working very hard on it. I have been doing it on my downtime, away from Enterprise Earth while we are off tour. I have the album pretty much wrapped up and written. We have a vocalist lined up, that is going to be announced as soon as the music is released. It should be around fall that we will begin recording, and get that wrapped up finally.

GA: Enterprise Earth recently release a single, along with video for the song ‘This Hell, My Home’, is this a sign of things to come for the band? By this I mean, we all got to hear more of your technical chops, so is the music going to become more technical?

JO: I think that the band is always going to keep that distinguishable sound that is Enterprise Earth. I am however looking to add my flare to the music. Like the new song, BJ had the song already written before I was in the band, then I came in and threw some leads over the parts that he wrote. The new album we really haven’t started writing on it, but I think BJ, myself and Yusef are going to be collaborating pretty well on the material. Take the ideas from each other individually and put them all together.

GA: What gear are you currently using on Summer Slaughter?

JO: I am running the Fractal Ax FX Ultra direct into the PA, and using my Agile guitar. I had that thing for a couple years, and I’m pretty happy with it.

GA: What has to be your favorite stop so far on this tour?

JO: I would have to say Webster Hall in New York. That show was super killer, it was a good time and I like New York.

GA: What kind of music do you like to listen to while on tour? Any guilty pleasure stuff?

JO: Actually not too much metal stuff, I have been actually jamming some ninety’s stuff like Cranberries some old electronic stuff like Aphex Twin, also Red Hot Chili Peppers. I like to come to the show and play metal, but after I like to calm down with kind of the opposite.

GA: What is next for Enterprise Earth?

JO: We have an album in the works, for future release probably around 2017. Also trying to do more tours, and try to do as much as possible with this band, and see what we can do.

GA: Anything else you would like to add to this interview?

JO: I would like to thank anybody that has supported me, in any project that I am in, being Animation Sequence, Enterprise Earth, or anything I was in prior. I am very thankful to be where I am at right now.

We can expect big things to come from Joel, and Enterprise Earth in the future. I am definitely anticipating Animation Sequence and finding out who will be the vocalist. Also I think it will be exciting to see how Enterprise Earth will grow from the Patient 0 album. I am very thankful for your time Joel and meeting with me during Summer Slaughter. I wish you and the band well on tour and safe journeys in the future.

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George Archibald

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