Review OMNIUM GATHERUM “May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way”

Hailing from Kotka, Finland, Omnium Gatherum was formed almost three decades ago and has become one of the most important ambassadors of melodic death metal from Finland. Four years after releasing the “Origins” album, the band returns with their tenth studio effort, which has an unusually long title: “May the Bridges We Burn Light Us the Way”. What a philosophical title!

Markus Vanhalla saw the phrase on a hoodie in a Chinese airport and felt that it sounded like the perfect summary of the Omnium Gatherum story.

In a sense, the album title also reflects the lyrical theme, as it is a kind of concept album. However, it’s not a story that connects the songs. Rather, it is an overarching theme that connects the dots. Each song reflects a story from the streets, the experiences of dreamers and wanderers. These stories connect to the current state of the world, with “In the Darkest City” being a significant song in this regard. The urban environment mirrors the current state of society, with all its chaotic moments and turns.

Musically, it is a great melodic death metal piece that finds the sweet spot of heaviness through the combination of Jukka Pelkonen’s harsh vocals and well-crafted melody lines. These two components blend together perfectly, making this six-minute song a highlight of the album.

The title track is actually more of an intro. At less than two minutes long, “May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way” is a well-placed introduction to the album and its lyrical context. It’s not the usual cinematic intro. It is more of an instrumental, with Vanhala’s guitars leading the way to “My Pain”.

“Walking Ghost Phase” combines catchiness — particularly in the keyboard part — with raw vocals. By the way, Soilwork‘s Björn ‘Speed’ Strid co-produced the vocal sessions, which helped Pelkonen take things to the next level. This is evident throughout the album, and Strid also supported Vanhala with the clean vocals.

The throbbing “Streets of Rage” begins at a medium pace before the band shifts gears. “Streets of Rage” evolves into a blasting death metal song, followed by melodic leads introducing “Barricades”. Last but not least, we have “Road Closed Ahead”, an instrumental with a cinematic atmosphere. This sinister piece ends the album on a high note, showing that the musical range extends beyond harsh metal.

Omnium Gatherum have made a considerable progress with “May the Bridges We Burn Light Us the Way”. Their latest release features great songs and a good level of variation while staying true to their roots. It is their most mature album yet, featuring well-crafted melodic death metal that balances melody and heaviness perfectly. Horns up!