The new record sounds great Markus, I guess you must feel pretty accomplished with “New World Shadows” right?

“Well yeah, I really am satisfied with "New World Shadows" and we definitely found what we were after and nailed it to this record. It seems that us, the old-timers of adult oriented death metal, are really on fire now after 15 years of solid service! We've just begun, you know…”

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As long as you’re not a teeny pop artist, what better way to start and end an album than with nine minute songs. This is exactly how the new OMNIUM GATHERUM album "New World Shadows" plays out. The album offers a unique interpretation of what heavy metal can be, and they pull it off very well. This band is yet another reason that I love Finland and their metal-friendly culture.
The first track, “Everfields”, offers up exactly what a typical metal song is not. The vocals performed by Jukka Pelkonen remain heavy and thick while the music takes multiple twists and turns from quick double bass patterns, to clean keyboard parts, to soaring guitar leads – all while keeping the heavy vocals on top of them. There is so much emotion pouring from this song ranging from the folk sounding percussive breakdowns to the truly heavy, heavy parts.
In addition to having epic compositions, OMNIUM GATHERUM also know how to break your face with good old fashioned heavy metal. Tracks like “Ego” and “Nova Flame” have the tearing guitar riffs that bond all forms of metal. Guitar player Markus Vanhala offers up an array of crushing riffs as well as melodic leads that will melt your ears.
A track worth noting for its uniqueness is “An Infinite Mind” which has it all from heavy guitars, to effect laden verses, and more mainstream sounding parts all while maintaining a solid dose of heaviness. The vocals compliment the music so well with the signature thick growls to whispered layers on top of the music. The hook in this song is certainly the interesting guitar work that will leave you coming back for seconds.
"New World Shadows" by OMNIUM GATHERUM is a very diverse, epic, and hard hitting album that takes the listener through multiple auditory landscapes. There are elements of several different metal genres which will intrigue listeners of all metal sounds. The guitar work is especially impressive as it does not stick to any particular sound in metal. While still having a cohesive sound, Vanhala uses his axe to pummel your head and serenade you to sleep at the same time. This album is a very solid effort that is surely to recruit new fans and keep old fans happy. (8.5/10)

Devin Walsh

Band info: www.myspace.com/omniumgatherum
Label info: www.lifeforcerecords.com
For fans of: Opeth, Katatonia, In Flames

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To convince you that the new album of Omnium Gatherum “The Redshift” is one of the best works that you will hear during this prolific year of 2008, it should suffice to state that Dan Swano, that charismatic figure of the underground considers it one of the best releases of melodic Death-Metal of recent times.
Although the former leader of Edge of Sanity can be a little suspicious to talk about “The Redshift” considering he was involved in the conception of the Finns fourth record by taking care of the mixing job at his infamous Unisound studios, it is truth that not all the works the Swedish guru puts his fingers on turns into gold and deserves his seal of approval announced publicly.
For those who haven’t yet heard Omnium Gatherum’s songs I must urge you to grab a copy of “The Redshift” to listen to their graceful and melodic Death-Metal with Progressive nuances, it will certainly be a rewarding experience.
In “The Redshift” their blend of progressive melodies with Death-Metal aggressiveness appears to be more refined and mature, clearly demonstrating that the sextet possess a especial knack to incorporate magnificent melodies and luxurious and slightly byzantine arrangements between brutal and aggressive riffs.
Clearly superior in comparison to their previous work “Stuck Here On Snakes Way”, the new record stands out for being a more melodic and accessible work, their progressive tendencies are still present though, especially in the guitar leads that along with the keyboards of Aapo Koivisto give a certain 80’s feel akin to Marillion and Rush to some of these songs. Guitarists Markus Vanhala and Harri Pikka have focused to some extent on more straightforward and aggressive riffs and some truly memorable harmonies, without however forgetting some of the complexity that always characterized their sonority.
The opening theme “Nail” for example, cranks out in a fast pace with some catchy riffs intertwined between intricate guitar harmonies that lead into a contagious and melodic chorus and then gets followed by a splendid and elaborated guitar solo.
“The Shadowkey” is also a remarkable and diverse song, exhibiting some progressive leanings it displays an impressive guitar work and an incredibly rich and compact bass line that sometimes brings to mind the style of Rush’s Geddy Lee.
The bass work of Eerik Purdon is worthy of note for his playing doesn’t merely follow the rhythm of the guitars, but instead shows a proper, inventive and dense style.
Elsewhere, “Chameleon Skin” continues to display magnificent harmonies and great guitar leads, and some tasteful and subtle keyboard lines, while the mellow piano-driven “No Turning Point” shows a remarkably memorable and strong chorus with vocalist Jukka Pelkonen singing in a gruff yet incredibly perceptible tone that brings to memory the early period of their compatriots Amorphis. The vocal performance of Jukka also appears to be more confident and completely integrated in the group’s sonority, clearly not revealing any restraints to experiment other approaches like the clean, more emotional singing of “Greeneyes”.
Diverse, interesting and deliciously melodic, “The Redshift” is an album that grows with consecutive auditions and the more I get myself familiar with these songs the more I agree with that gentleman named Dan Swano, certainly one of best melodic Death-Metal works of this year! (8/10)

Band info: www.omniumgatherum.org
Label info: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk

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Omnium Gatherum are on the verge of releasing the successor to their highly acclaimed album “Stuck Here on Snakes Way” via Candlelight Records. Entitled “The Redshift”, the fourth full-length work of the Finns was mixed by underground legend Dan Swäno (Edge of Sanity, Moontower, Bloodbath, etc) in his resurrected Unisound studios and shows Omnium Gatherum on top form delivering a sonority full of contrasts, it’s gracious and yet brutal, sorrowful yet reinvigorating and byzantine yet surprisingly memorable. Scratch the Surface had the chance to know more details of “The Redshift” from vocalist Jukka Pelkonen and lead-guitarist Markus Vanhala. Read on…

With underground legend Dan Swäno sitting behind the control knobs of a soundboard at his infamous Unisound Studios, Finland’s Omnium Gatherum have produced their strongest work to date entitled “The Redshift”. The successor of "Stuck Here on Snakes Way" continues to display their fine blend of Progressive melodies and Death-Metal aggression, yet in a more refined and extremely graceful way.
The Swedish producer was so enthusiastic about the songs the sextet so marvellously crafted that he even pronounced that a better record won’t be found in the following years.
So how does it feel to have the seal of approval of one the most influential names of the underground?

Markus - Sick things happen, like I wouldn’t never guessed this to happen when I was 13 years old and listening to “Spectral Sorrows” and “Unorthodox” by Edge Of Sanity and thought that this vocalist dude on those records are the coolest bad-ass on earth. But Dan is right, “The Redshift” is damn good record also in my opinion and I hope it gives some teenagers same kind of influential kicks to the ass than Swanö´s stuff have gave me.

Jukka - Well, of course it feels wonderful to be praised by one of our influences, and it was good working with Dan too.


So what was like working with Dan Swäno, a musician and producer that Omnium Gatherum have previously mentioned to nurture a profound admiration for his work with Edge of Sanity and Nightingale between others?

Markus - I noticed about year ago from internet that he has re-activated his famous Unisound studio and are back in track on mixing bands again, so I just tried my luck whether Dan would be interested to work with us, and for my surprise he was really interested about this. It was really cool to get him behind our forces and it was also really nice experience to work with him as he’s a really warm, down to earth guy even if he really is a living legend in this scene! We really shared same views since from the beginning and he did with the sound production just like what we were after on this one. Little bit some good old, little bit some modern, a bit borrowed and little bit blues on top of it!

I take it the band is happy with the end results, right? What were your expectations towards the album in the first place?

Jukka- Yes we are, extremely pleased with the end result! We really did not have any expectations or at least I didn’t expect anything concerning the album. We just had a good vibration and the chemistry between the band members was good, so the album turned out OK.

Markus- We’re very pleased on this one, the best OG songs, best entire wholeness, great production and cool cover. The whole packet really rocks and rolls and works for the really first time for the goddamn broadside 666%!! My expectation with this album was to make the most honest and fresh OG album for ourselves and to knock down the previous albums and that we really did. I’m proud of it and that’s enough for me, so others can only follow heh!

“The Redshift” sees a slight shift in direction towards a more progressive scope, specially the guitar leads, which have a very crystal clear and warm tone. Do you agree? In our previous conversation you suggested a return-to-the-roots approach.

Markus- Well I dunno, most journalists have again said to me that “The Redshift” is heading away from the progressive side of OG to a more straight-forward and melodic direction. I think that this album is more to our debut album direction in a way, but in a fresh way, it’s really not any “Spirits And August Light” part 2… Though, my own musical taste has slipped much more towards the dark side of the 70´s and 80´s progressive bands like Yes, Rush, Marillion, Genesis etc...

In your perspective what are the main differences between “The Redshift” and "Stuck Here on Snakes Way"?

Jukka - Well I think the main differences between the two newest albums are the fact that we as a band we know each other a lot better than we did two years ago. Also we composed these songs in a very fast but peaceful pace. And they turned out just the way we wanted.

Markus- “The Redshift” is much more melodic and sophisticated album again than the “Snakes Way”, and like I said, the new album is much more better in its entire wholeness and it sticks greatly together from the first riffs to the last notes and it still keeps fresh and interesting!

As a guitar player do you have any personal favourite track on the new album? I admire the progressive leanings and laidback mood of “Chameleon Skin”.

Markus- This time I’m proud of them all and there are no bad moments on the album where I should need to cough on top of the songs and riffs when I’m playing the album to my best friends, so I guess it’s a good thing, haha! Well, maybe “The Shadowkey” is my today’s favourite with the instrumental “Song For December...”, if I should say some songs here... “Chameleon Skin” is also really cool song and a blast to play live, some really fast down-stroke picking that gives you the really true and evil metal face look as it’s technically hard to pick!

This album was written in less than a year, does it means that the writing of new songs is an easy task for the band or you are just passing through a very inspirational period?

Markus- At the moment it was really an easy task as we had a really good vibe on the band and going thru a very inspirational period. I think you can really hear this rocking positive energy flow and freshness on the album!

What’s up with Omnium Gatherum and bass players, with every new album the band seems to be losing a new bassist and this time it was Eerik Purdon to exit?

Markus- Well, “The Redshift” was in fact the first album where our previous long-time bassist Janne wasn’t playing anymore as he had lost his interest towards playing metal music, which is sad as he is a great pal of us... So it’s not the same thing with every record, even though it now seems that on our next fifth album, coming somewhere in time in the future there’s again a new bassist then.

Jukka- Eerik had so many things going on in his life so he decided that he doesn’t have enough time for OG. There is a new guy on the bass, who will go with us to the European tour, but no final decisions are made.

In cosmology a redshift results from galaxies moving away from each other.
Is the title of the new album some type of metaphor for change or a need to evolve and get away from something?

Jukka - It can be understood like that, but the “main” concept of ‘The Redshift” is about inner and outer confidence and the absurdity of good and evil. But movement, very fast movement, is one of the things I like to present in these lyrics.

The cover artwork of the album was once again created by Olli Lappalainen, does it possess an association to the lyrics and the album title like it suggests?

Jukka- Yes, the artwork is connected to the lyrics, but everyone can figure out themselves what is the link between them…

Omnium Gatherum have been confirmed to play a portion of the Ithyphallic Europe Tour with Nile, Grave and Belphegor. What’s your opinion about the other bands on the bill and what are your expectations from the tour itself?

Markus- Looking really forward to start touring with this new album and see you all friends out there! Cool bands on this trek really, even though we’re a lot more melodic stuff than the other ones on the bill. Hopefully true European death-metal fans won’t kill us when we play this keyboard-spiced melodic pussy death metal there, haha. You’re going to see that we really have a much attitude towards this thing and we’ll be raising some hell with our live set! But should be a really good promotion for us to play these audiences that haven’t maybe heard us yet at all…

What other plans have the band stored for the following months?

Jukka - A lot of promotion and a lot of gigs! Nothing else matters!

Markus – Spending time on the road and seeing lots of crazy fans out there, a total domination!

More info at: www.omniumgatherum.org

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It appears that the year of 2008 is going to be one of the busiest and most hectic of Finland’s Omnium Gatherum career to date. The Melodic Death-Metal sextet is currently on the final process of writing the follow-up to their successful and critically acclaimed "Stuck Here On Snakes Way" album, which is scheduled for release this spring through UK’s Candlelight Records.
Meanwhile, the band will support Sweden’s Dark Tranquillity on their UK tour this month, before heading for studio to register their new as-yet-untitled record. Scratch the Surface caught up with guitarist Markus Vanhala to learn more about Omnium Gatherum upcoming studio release and the support slot for one of their main influences.

It takes a simple click at your internet browser to discover that Omnium Gatherum roughly means a miscellaneous collection, all gathered. Well, Melodic Death Metallers Omnium Gatherum couldn’t have picked a better name for themselves as its significance perfectly reflects the band’s posture towards music since the Finnish sextet is a band that places great value on dynamics.
After two well received full-length albums 2003’s “Spirits In August Light” and 2004’s “Years In Waste” released on Rage Of Achilles and Nuclear Blast respectively, with both blending a diverse range of influences and textures in a surprising and innovative manner it was only last year that Omnium Gatherum truly blossomed into a unique and grandiose musical entity with the release of their third record. Issued by Candlelight Records, “Stuck Here On Snakes Way" is where the likes of Iron Maiden, Rush, Dark Tranquillity, Opeth and Amorphis converge in equal measures and the sextet consolidated their position as a band poised to make the big jump from the underground to the forefront of the Metal scene. 2008 promises to be a great year for Omnium Gatherum as the band is currently finishing writing the greatly expected follow-up to “Stuck Here On Snakes Way".

When asked about the musical orientation of the new songs, guitarist Markus Vanhala suggests a return to the more metallic, harder inclinations of the band’s early period.

“The stuff is sounding little bit like a return to the roots of Omnium Gatherum, lots of melodies, easier song structures, but still really heavy stuff with some beautiful progressive atmospheres.
I think the songs are a lot more easily approachable than on “Snakes Way”, though it still isn’t any disposable one-hit-wonder stuff, hehe.”

What can you tell us about the writing process of your new album? How are the new songs developing?

“It’s been maybe the easiest record composing project so far, it seems that the songs have composed itself within a very short period. We have over 10 songs ready and waiting some hard arrangement process, though we have very busy schedule as the recordings are starting already in March and we have a tour to play before that and lots of work to do... But, I’m still very enthusiastic about the coming release as it’s really having the strongest potential yet!”

Have you already settled for a title for the new album?

“No, we haven’t got yet any title, so the working title is “a big 4th”.

What about the recordings, have you already chosen a studio and a producer to work with?

“Yeah, we have just booked all the studios. It’s going to be done in three different studios; drums will be recorded in Sound Supreme by Janne Saksa (Rotten Sound, Amoral, Manitou etc.), other recordings will be done at the same place as “Snakes Way”, which is our local SouthEastSounds studio in Karhula, Finland. The mixing and mastering will take place in Örebro, Sweden at the legendary UNISOUND studio by the legendary Swedish metal master Dan Swanö, who has done albums for Edge Of Sanity, Opeth, Katatonia, Dissection, Bloodbath, Nightingale etc. I surely am really eager about this as I’m a big Edge of Sanity, Nightingale, Moontower fan!"

Any guest appearances profiled to appear on the new album?

“We haven’t decided yet anything on that case, so it remains to be seen.”

The new album will once again be released by Candlelight Records; do you think they're the perfect partner for Omnium Gatherum?

“Things have worked nicely with Candlelight. The label got a nice staff, they have cool individual bands and we have total artistic freedom on our music. It’s a good sized label for us, as for example our previous label Nuclear Blast was way too big for a band like Omnium Gatherum.”

The upcoming album will mark the debut of new bass player Eerik Purdon who replaced Janne Markkanen last year, did he contributed to the writing of the new album?

“Eerik haven’t done any composing for the album, but he have been a great influence factor for writing new stuff and have helped with arrangements and stuff like that. He really is one hell of a bass player, so I can guarantee that there’s infernal low-end pulse and groove on our next chapter that have not seen at the Omnium Gatherum stuff yet!!!

Omnium Gatherum will be touring with Dark Tranquillity on February through the UK, seeing that they had a big influence on the band in the beginning, what are your feelings regarding the tour?

“Well, Dark Tranquillity’s “The Gallery” album was one of the main influences why we ever formed this band in ´95/96. So, it’s totally amazing to tour with that band and I couldn’t invent better band style wise to tour with. We’ll be also sharing the nightliner bus with Dark Tranquillity so it’s going to be a nice ride for all of us, Sweden vs. Finland! Last time we did a headlining tour in UK at 2006 and it was a success, so also because of this we’ll be looking forward to head back to UK stages.”

What can we expect from Omnium Gatherum on these shows? Will you be playing some new songs?

“Highly energetic sweaty show with tight playing and rock´n’roll movements, hehe!! Yeah, we’ll be testing some new stuff on these gigs for sure.”

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