It's Markus Vanhala's guitar that drives Omnium Gatherum's new LP, The Burning Cold. It's the talent he displays on "Refining Fire," "Gods Go First" and "The Fearless Entity" that has carried the band through metal's vast underground for years. Striking a balance between Amon Amarth's brutality and Dragonforce's freewheeling melodies, the band's latest is a must-have for fans of all things power metal and epic.
"Rest in Your Heart" begins with a stomping industrial riff worthy of Rammstein, showing that Omnium Gatherum haven't forgotten to throw some curveballs in there for us. Lyrically and thematically, they avoid the Viking aesthetic that has proved so limiting for many of their Finnish countrymen; Aapo Kovisto's keyboards play like an instrument, not an orchestra. Things are still very Scandinavian, but it's not in service to any image. By focusing on their music alone, the band manage to deliver the kind of anthemic singles that flourished in the 2000s Nordic scene.
Omnium Gatherum may have never caught the rocket that launched Children of Bodom to the mainstream, but they have built a dedicated following and one of the strongest back-catalogues in their genre. The Burning Cold is another great addition, and a treat for dedicated listeners and new fans alike.
(Century Media)"Rest in Your Heart" begins with a stomping industrial riff worthy of Rammstein, showing that Omnium Gatherum haven't forgotten to throw some curveballs in there for us. Lyrically and thematically, they avoid the Viking aesthetic that has proved so limiting for many of their Finnish countrymen; Aapo Kovisto's keyboards play like an instrument, not an orchestra. Things are still very Scandinavian, but it's not in service to any image. By focusing on their music alone, the band manage to deliver the kind of anthemic singles that flourished in the 2000s Nordic scene.
Omnium Gatherum may have never caught the rocket that launched Children of Bodom to the mainstream, but they have built a dedicated following and one of the strongest back-catalogues in their genre. The Burning Cold is another great addition, and a treat for dedicated listeners and new fans alike.
