ONI announce new album ‘Loathing Light’

May 3, 2022 James Weaver

ONI have announced a new album!

Titled Loathing Light, the upcoming album from the progressive metalcore project is the long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s Ironshore and is scheduled to be released in June this year, via Ironshore Records.

The upcoming album was created by singer/lyricist Jake Oni, together with his closest allies, producer Josh Wilbur [MEGADETH, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, GOJIRA] and LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton.

Speaking about the upcoming album, band mastermind Jake Oni says, “the songs are very much written from the first person, with a lot of ‘I’ and ‘me’ in the lyrics as opposed to ‘us’ or ‘you. The music encompasses many different vibes, both light and dark. I really challenged myself to address difficult things I’ve gone through over the years.

Mark [Morton] helped me through a lot of stuff with mental health and addiction, things he’s gone through himself. He’s definitely been a big support for me. I worked with him before with a full band, but this time, it was just he and I, writing an entire album together, which was killer. I don’t want anyone in there besides Mark and Josh when I’m recording vocals. They get what I can do. They know my limitations and how to utilize my talents like nobody else really can fully. Music is such a gift. If you can make music, and people respond to it? I’ve learned not to take that for granted. Count your blessings because the opportunity to make music is such a great one. We should always be grateful. Because it’s the coolest job anyone could do.”

Alongside the announcement of the new album, ONI have released a new music video for a new song lifted from the upcoming album; Secrets. The new song features guest vocals from LAMB OF GOD‘s Randy Blythe and IGGY POP and is the third single to be released from the upcoming album; following on from War Ender and The Lie.

Jake had initially invited Randy Blythe to bring his vocal skills to Secrets and as the song came together, the idea of a second guest voice to add another dimension to the track was discussed. “IGGY’s vocals are so iconic and instantly recognizable, his style is what we were after. But we figured, let’s see if we can get the man himself to check it out?” They did, and the STOOGES legendary leader and ‘Godfather of Punk’ loved the track. Jake continues, “he came down, we had some food and just chilled. And then he did his thing all over the song. He asked me for ideas about how to approach it, which was just crazy and cool. It all worked so well and came out sick.”

Fellow guest, LAMB OF GOD‘s vocalist Randy Blythe adds, “it was awesome to work with Jake again, and of course the usual suspects, my compatriots Mark Morton and Josh Wilbur – always a good time. But to be on a track and film a video with one of my biggest influences as frontman, the OG godfather of punk and living legend IGGY POP? Completely priceless.”

Watch the official music video for Secrets here: