Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Lifeforce
Date of Release: February 25, 2013
SONIC MELODIC METAL
Omnium Gatherum, alongside bands such as Dark Tranquility and Insomnium,
has been known to many metalgoers as one of the greatest monuments of melodic
death metal, and for a good reason. Established in 1996 from Karhula, Finland,
this sextet has unleashed a plentiful sleuth of some of the most powerful and breathtaking
melodic metal ever to hit the eardrums of listeners, and, as a result, has also
obtained quite a large following. Their best work thus far, however, has been
their 2011 full-length “New World Shadows,” a simply phenomenal record packed
with distinct tracks, excellent energy, and unforgettable melodies. It truly
set the bar incredibly high for what was to arrive next later on. This is where
Omnium Gatherum’s sixth full-length album “Beyond,” released early in 2013. With
“New World Shadows” being such a spectacle, the sextet returns with the intent
to add another stellar piece of melodic metal to their lengthy collection.
In this record, the musicianship is as wonderful as ever.
The death metal growls continue to thrive as in the band’s previous efforts, and
they are well done. However, in regards to the vocals, the greatest highlight
would be the clean singing. This is an area where “Beyond” truly has “New World
Shadows” beat, because not only is the angelic singing more powerful and
transcendent than before, but it has also increased in amount, creating even
more dreamy melodies for this record. The drums are also nicely played,
balancing between slower and faster tempos upon a strong line of musical
dynamicity. However, aside from all of this, the strongest element of the
musicianship is what it has always been: The guitar work. The beauteous
melodies soar throughout the record without overdoing it, and they not only
send chills down the audience’s spines, they generate a euphoric atmosphere
that gives the music an even more epic feel as well. As for the sound
production, while it does tend to sound a little muddy at times, it does make
all of the musicians’ vocal and instrumental work shine distinctively. As a
whole, the musicianship and production are both done quite well in “Beyond.”
For fans of Omnium Gatherum’s previous efforts with their melodic death metal sound, expect “Beyond” to be just that. In this record, the band stays true to its roots and creates a fitting sequel in respect of the sounds of “New World Shadows,” composing of majestic melodic metal that delivers breathtaking melodies and spatial atmospheres. Each track is easily distinguishable from one another, allowing the record to conjure up something different as each song passes by. Along with that, the tracks themselves are solidly structured, showcasing great flow and transition. Nothing sounds forced or blatantly sporadic, allowing the listeners to glide through each track without ramming into any obstacle. At the same time, though, “Beyond” also demonstrates nice dynamicity between fast, steady, and slow paces, outlined by the drum work as stated earlier. The ingredients of excellent musicianship, fantastic melodies, concentrated structure, and nice dynamicity all coalesce into “Beyond,” a potent helping of melodic metal. Although it certainly is not as memorable or gripping as its predecessor, this album is unwavering proof that Omnium Gatherum has not run scarce of their steam.
For fans of Omnium Gatherum’s previous efforts with their melodic death metal sound, expect “Beyond” to be just that. In this record, the band stays true to its roots and creates a fitting sequel in respect of the sounds of “New World Shadows,” composing of majestic melodic metal that delivers breathtaking melodies and spatial atmospheres. Each track is easily distinguishable from one another, allowing the record to conjure up something different as each song passes by. Along with that, the tracks themselves are solidly structured, showcasing great flow and transition. Nothing sounds forced or blatantly sporadic, allowing the listeners to glide through each track without ramming into any obstacle. At the same time, though, “Beyond” also demonstrates nice dynamicity between fast, steady, and slow paces, outlined by the drum work as stated earlier. The ingredients of excellent musicianship, fantastic melodies, concentrated structure, and nice dynamicity all coalesce into “Beyond,” a potent helping of melodic metal. Although it certainly is not as memorable or gripping as its predecessor, this album is unwavering proof that Omnium Gatherum has not run scarce of their steam.
The lyrics also serve as another one of this album’s strong
points. Thematically, the lyrics focus on more personal topics, including love,
internal conflicts, family, and other parallel matters. They are written in a
very emotionally and somewhat poetically, utilizing a little imagery throughout
to underline the lyrics’ dramatic appeal. However, this is not all that the
lyrics should be praised for; they also deserve recognition for how fittingly
they amalgamate with the dramatic tone of the melodic metal itself, as well as
somewhat elevate it. They are artistically emotional lyrics combined with
artistically emotional music. Overall, as well as the music itself, “Beyond”
excels in displaying lyrics that not only are heart-bracing to read, but they
also do justice when heard alongside the album’s sonically melodic sounds.
After the band’s previous works, “Beyond” did not at all
disappoint. The musicianship is stellar, the sound production is well done, despite
the occasional blurriness, the music flows smoothly and the structures are
well-built, and the lyrics accompany the melodic metal perfectly in terms of
emotional appeal. As stated earlier, although “New World Shadows” continues to
stand on the pedestal as Omnium Gatherum’s most prominent release, “Beyond”
turned out to be a very enjoyable record. The transcendent melodies, as this
album’s greatest strength, continue to gracefully lace the listeners’ ears and emit
grand musical atmosphere in this fine piece of melodic metal. If you’re a fan
who is craving for some well-built and well-mastered melodic death metal, “Beyond”
is certainly one great record to turn to. Even after almost two decades of
soaring aloft the metal scene as one of the most monumental icons of the
melodic metal genre, Omnium Gatherum has once again proven that they will not
be losing at their own game anytime soon.
Score: 8/10 (Great)