Canadian prog-metal act Oni muse on philosophical and sci-fi concepts to a thunderous soundtrack combining elements of metalcore, death and black metal, and djent. Formed in Windsor, Ontario in 2014 by vocalist Jake Oni (possibly not his real name), they take their moniker from a Japanese word for a kind of folkloric demon or ogre, usually hideous and terrifying. The original iteration of the band also comprised guitarists Martin Andres and Brandon White, bassist Chase Bryant, drummer Joe Greulich, and one Johnny D on xylosynth (an electronic xylophone), most likely making them the only metal band ever to use that instrument). After their first album, Jake became the only constant member in a regularly shifting lineup often bolstered by high-caliber guest vocalists such as Iggy Pop, Jared Dines, Howard Jones, and Josh Gilbert. Oni have a long association with Texan metallers Lamb of God. That band's longtime producer, Josh Wilbur, oversaw their first two albums; vocalist Randy Blythe has twice lent them guest vocals; and Jake Oni guested on guitarist Mark Morton's solo album Anesthetic. Quickly signed to genre powerhouse Metal Blade, Oni released their debut album, Ironshore, in 2016. Their music, a vicious tech-metal assault owing as much to death and black metal as to the post-djent aesthetic, earned them a committed fan base, which they consolidated through constant touring with major bands like Gojira, Megadeth, and Children of Bodom, and slots at Slipknot's Knotfest festival. After the 2019 EP Alone, Oni's second album, Loathing Light, was released in June 2022, and their third, The Silver Line, appeared in September 2023. ~ John D. Buchanan