Formed in 1996 in the coastal town of Karhula, Omnium Gatherum has long stood at the crossroads of traditional heavy metal, Gothenburg-style melodic death, and progressive finesse – earning the tongue-in-cheek label Adult-Oriented Death Metal.
On ‘May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way’, founding guitarist and chief songwriter Markus Vanhala (also in Insomnium, Cemetery Skyline) sought to capture the band’s full scope: catchy hooks, searing solos, thunderous rhythms, inventive keys, and vocals that shift between aggression and melody with ease.
Through its lyrics, ‘May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way’ is structured as a loose concept album, narrating ‘stories from the streets’ through the experiences of dreamers, fiends, liars and wanderers.
Songs like ‘Walking Ghost Phase’ delve into addiction and despair, while ‘Ignite the Flame’ champions brotherhood and rebellion.
In ‘The Darkest City’, the urban landscape itself speaks, reflecting the chaos of the modern world.
