Before TikTok gave their songs a second life, Bad Omens were five guys packed into a two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles. The walls were lined with gear, cables, and stacks of merch for their first tour. They didn’t have much money, but they had demos, drive, and the kind of connection that tends to survive tight spaces.
Formed in 2015, the band has stuck with nearly the same lineup ever since. In a scene where members come and go all the time, that’s rare. And it’s a big part of why they’ve stayed sharp while evolving their sound from metalcore roots into something way harder to box in.
In this article, we take a closer look at the Bad Omens band members—who they are, how they joined, and what each brings to the lineup.
Noah Sebastian – Vocals, Production
Noah Sebastian didn’t form Bad Omens by accident. After walking away from his old deathcore band Immoralist, he started writing songs that leaned more into melody, atmosphere, and emotional weight. He kept it quiet at first, writing, producing, and shaping what would eventually become Bad Omens.
By the time Sumerian Records heard the early demos, Noah was 17 and already thinking long-term. He’s since become the band’s main vocalist, producer, and creative director. His studio work shaped The Death of Peace of Mind, and his voice has gone from raw to razor-sharp over the years. Offstage, he’s talked about treating music as a real job—adjusting everything from sleep to diet to get the most out of his instrument.
Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson – Guitar, Programming
Joakim “Jolly” Karlsson is from Sweden and joined early after being introduced by Vincent Riquier. He flew out to the U.S. to work on what was still a loose project—and ended up co-creating the band’s sound. His guitar work is precise, but he’s even more involved on the production side, handling programming and helping mix tracks with Noah.
Jolly brings an industrial, almost mechanical edge to their recent records. If a song sounds like it could play over the end credits of a dystopian movie, he probably had something to do with it.
Nicholas Ruffilo – Bass
Nicholas Ruffilo was in the band from the beginning, originally playing guitar before switching to bass in 2018. He stepped up after Vincent left and never looked back. Aside from holding down the rhythm section, he’s also behind the band’s visual identity—he designed their crown of thorns logo and handles a lot of the branding work.
Away from music, he’s a tattoo artist. He’s even inked some of the other band members, which makes sense considering how closely tied their visuals are to their overall aesthetic.
Nick Folio – Drums
Nick Folio found his way into the band after submitting a drum cover of an early demo. He was tight, on time, and exactly what they needed. Since then, he’s been their steady backbone—whether on fast, heavy tracks or slower, moody ones.
He was one of the guys crammed into that Los Angeles apartment during the band’s early days, sleeping next to the merch pile and rehearsing until they couldn’t hear straight. Through all the changes in their sound, his drumming has adapted without missing a beat.
Former Member: Vincent Riquier
Vincent Riquier was part of the original Bad Omens lineup, playing bass and contributing backing vocals. On July 9, 2018, the band announced his departure due to a severe back injury he sustained while touring in Europe. In a public statement, Vincent explained that the injury forced him to reassess what he could handle physically and mentally. He stepped away from the band to focus on recovery and a new path—eventually pursuing a full-time career as a tattoo artist.
Bad Omens Leaves Tour Because Logo Was Too Small
In 2019, Bad Omens were set to join a tour with Senses Fail and The Amity Affliction. But when the flyer dropped, their logo was way smaller than expected—borderline invisible. The band pulled out. Senses Fail posted their version of the story, making it sound like Bad Omens overreacted.
Instead of going quiet, Bad Omens dropped a merch design that featured their logo in tiny print and the phrase: “I was supposed to see Bad Omens but all I got was this lousy logo.” It sold out.
Noah Sebastian Mental Health
When The Death of Peace of Mind dropped in 2022, it already had momentum. Then TikTok caught up. “Just Pretend” exploded across the platform and wound up in thousands of videos, reaching far beyond the band’s usual audience.
But that wave came after years of nonstop touring and pressure. In May 2024, Bad Omens cancelled their European and U.K. summer tour. Noah issued a public statement explaining the decision. He described the situation as “extreme burnout,” adding that the album cycle had pushed him “to the limits of my mental bandwidth.” He wrote:
“Putting my mind and body in conflict with one another in ways that are becoming detrimental to my health on the road… This decision is in the best interest of my health and wellbeing, and of the long-term sustainability of Bad Omens. We need to protect and restore all of the energy that will be demanded of us again soon as we transition into the next chapter.“
The move was met with support from fans who were already noticing Noah’s gradual retreat from public view. At the end of 2023, he deleted all his social media accounts. In an interview with Metal Hammer, he said the constant exposure was taking a toll:
“I got really tired of seeing my own face, or seeing a stranger’s opinion of me every day… I don’t think that’s healthy.“
He also spoke about obsessive fan behavior—accounts digging up childhood photos and creating shrines online. The burnout was physical and personal.
Bad Omens and Bring Me the Horizon Comparisons
People have been comparing Bad Omens to Sempiternal-era Bring Me the Horizon for years. The mix of clean vocals and heavy screams, the atmosphere, the electronics—it’s easy to draw a line between them. Noah gets it, but he’s also said it gets tiring. “It’s flattering, but we don’t try to sound like anyone,” he once explained.
The band has made a point of writing music that doesn’t follow a fixed formula. On recent albums, they’ve started tracks with synths, R&B-like rhythms, or ambient loops, then layered in the guitars and drums afterward. It flips the process that most heavy bands use—and fans have noticed.
That shift also helped Bad Omens find a broader audience, earning them comparisons not just to newer acts like Sleep Token, but even to some of the most popular metal bands of all time in terms of streaming reach and cultural crossover.
Bad Omens’ loyalty to their lineup and genre-blending sound sets them apart. Noah’s openness about burnout highlights the pressures musicians face today—proof that even success comes at a cost.