The posthumous release of Vimic‘s album, Open Your Omen, is set to become a profoundly cathartic moment for both the band and fans of the late Joey Jordison. After years of uncertainty following the drummer’s passing, Vimic vocalist Kalen Chase revealed in a new interview with Loaded Radio the mix of emotions surrounding the project’s long-awaited arrival.
“We were thrilled. But it was a shock for all of us. I can speak for myself… But for myself, I had let it go. When Joey passed, it was more about healing from that,” Chase admitted (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). The opportunity to finally release the album brought a powerful resurgence of past feelings: “When this came up and the opportunity came, it was so shocking and surprising and wonderful, and then it was, like, ‘Oh, wow. You haven’t really done all your healing yet.’ So there’s been this mix of catharsis and bittersweet stuff, but at the end of the day, we are thrilled and excited mostly to give the fans what they want.”
The album’s release and an accompanying tribute event, presented by the Joey Jordison Charitable Fund, were made possible through a highly successful Kickstarter campaign. Funds raised are being diligently used to bring Open Your Omen to life on CD and double LP formats, alongside marketing efforts and the production of exclusive merchandise, much of which Joey Jordison himself was involved in designing years ago.
The centerpiece of this endeavor is a special concert in Los Angeles on October 3rd at Teragram Ballroom. This event will serve a dual purpose: honoring Jordison‘s indelible memory and celebrating the album’s release. The evening will also feature Wednesday 13 – who collaborated with Jordison in Murderdolls – along with special guests. Crucially, proceeds from the concert will support the Joey Jordison Charitable Fund‘s partnership with Broken Strings, an Iowa-based non-profit that provides guitars to children. The Jordison family aims to expand this initiative to include drums, extending Joey‘s musical legacy.
While the album’s release and tribute concert mark a significant milestone, Kalen Chase confirmed there are no plans for Vimic to continue as an active band beyond these commitments. “We are making no plans. The only focus that the family and the five of us have right now is to get the record out and to play this show and to honor Joey with that. There are no plans for future stuff. We’re not even broaching it. We’re not talking about it,” Chase stated. He views this as a definitive, yet beautiful, conclusion to this chapter of Jordison‘s work: “If that’s the period at the end of the sentence and we get to satisfy [fans who want us to pay tribute to Joey and perform these songs live], it’ll be a beautiful way of getting that last piece out and giving it back.”
As for those unable to attend the Los Angeles event, Chase expressed a strong desire to film or record the concert. “That would be an amazing thing… I can tell you that I would very much like to. So I’m gonna be pushing for it,” he affirmed, eager to share the experience with a wider audience. Vimic originally formed from members of Jordison‘s previous project, Scar the Martyr, after his departure from Slipknot in late 2013. The band, with Jordison on drums and Chase on vocals, debuted their first single, “Simple Skeletons,” in May 2016, setting the stage for the album that now sees its heartfelt release.
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