Omnium Gatherum / May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way Review

(Originally published December 30, 2025, to the mymetaloftheday instagram feed)

Chill death metal. This is the moniker my son and I assigned to Finnish melodeath band Omnium Gatherum the first time we listened to them. They released their latest album, “May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way” last month, and it is the epitome of chill death metal. So why chill? It feels like the perfect descriptor for the vibe they project. At its core this is death metal, with the intelligible snarl from lead vocalist Jukko Pelkonen, heavy riffing, great solos, and crushing drumming. Musically they are very melody forward, both keyboard and guitar driven, and absolutely slay you with almost boy band like multi-part clean harmonies in the choruses. Tempo biases toward mid-paced, though they know how to gallop and do so effectively. Even the guitar solos tend to be laid back and emotive, letting you breathe and just absorb the beauty amidst the heft, though they occasionally let it rip. Even when fast, the songs never feel brutal, laced with melody and passion, and breathe in ways melodeath typically does not. There are definitely lurking progressive influences as well, as each song never takes a fully straightforward path, keeping things fresh and interesting. The band describes themselves as “adult-oriented death metal,” and I love the play on AOR here, but I fully embrace the classification of “chill death metal.” Regardless of what you call it, this is some of the catchiest, most melodic melodeath you will hear while still never letting you forget that it is heavy.

The title track is an instrumental intro with driving drums and guitars enveloped by dreamy atmospheric synths, setting the stage for the first full song. “My Pain” tries to prove my “chill” moniker wrong with its nimble neoclassical symphonic intro (reminding me a lot of the recent Aephanemer), before settling into a mid-paced melodic groove. The chorus features soaring cleans with a growly backdrop, in stark contrast to the growls in the verses, but Jukka does a great job driving the melody even through his harsh vocals (a theme throughout the album). The mid section features atmospheric keys over a driving drums beat, bleeds into a vocal bridge, then delivers a killer guitar solo. The big ending chorus and guitar lead closes things out perfectly.

“The Last Hero” is one of the album’s faster songs, starting with a nice keys and guitars driven melody, then diving right in with galloping drums and Jukka’s growls. The chorus is snappy with a singalong feel, supported by a nice guitar lead. The song does a great job staying super melodic while rarely letting off the brakes.

“The Darkest City” is by far my favorite song on the album. It kicks off juxtaposing a slower guitar and keyboard melody over speedy drums, then slows to a medium pace with tons of melody and dynamics. The chorus is an absolute earworm, with the dichotomy between the lead in snarls and the bombastic multi-part clean harmonies so well done and full of emotion. The middle section dials things back, slowly adding layers with some beautiful guitar melodies, leading to a bridge and a final chorus, then blazes away with a powerful frenetic guitar solo and thundering drums. And then when you think it is done, you get one final chill reprisal of the melody.

“Walking Ghost Phase” pairs a simple guitar groove with ethereal keyboard atmosphere as its driving force, a natural headbanger with an emphatic chorus. “Ignite the Flame” feels like the album’s heaviest, at times a pulverizing tour de force that sprints out of the gate and rarely lets up. When it does let you relax, it showers you with synthy goodness and wraps you in its infectious melodies, before blazing ahead again. The late guitar solo over blastbeats (and some killer technical drumming) is super nice before closing out in massive melodic fashion. This is another standout track.

“Streets of Rage” is a steady rocker that balances a hefty guitar groove with atmospheric melodies. “Barricades” has a technical intro that is utilized throughout as a transition to great effect. It features a massive melody that is the centerpiece of the epic sounding chorus, a melody that is pervasive and utilized as a landing spot after various instruments get to shine. And shine they do, with killer guitar, keys, and drumming! It is a great choice as the last full length song on the album. Things close out with “Road Closed Ahead,” an atmospheric driving instrumental that delivers a cinematic feel, ending a terrific album.

With the intro and outro tracks, this album is only 7 full songs, but they deliver a ton of value. The editing feels very tight, providing an experience that goes by quickly but is well balanced. I find myself returning to this album constantly, and you should check it out and let yourself get lost in it if you haven’t!

Video for “The Darkest City”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK8eDu-tuSA