Omnium Gatherum

Fires in the Distance – Echoes from Deep November Review

Fires in the Distance – Echoes from Deep November Review

Echoes from Deep November, the debut by unheralded Connecticut melodeath act Fires in the Distance, was originally slated to drop as a self-release way back in May. Then the band managed to get signed by Prosthetic Records and the release was pushed out to this week. When I was spinning the album back in May, I wondered why they weren’t signed, as they clearly posses talent and potential, so it’s nice to see them in the loving embrace of a label deal.” November coming fire.

Insomnium/Omnium Gatherum Livestream Concert Review

Insomnium/Omnium Gatherum Livestream Concert Review

Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum were two of many unfortunate bands caught up in the fallout from the global pandemic, having to cancel their North American tour before they were able to play for the likes of Madam X, Dr. Wvrm, Muppet, and myself on their swing through Massachusetts. When they announced they would be livestreaming a concert on Good Friday as a way of reaching out to fans, myself and several other AMG writers were eager to support the endeavor and pay witness. The idea of them performing to a largely empty hall adorned solely with cameras was certainly novel, and I wanted to see how it all played out.” Man plans, God laughs.

Insomnium – Heart Like a Grave Review

Insomnium – Heart Like a Grave Review

“If you read our latest Record(s) o’ the Month post for…August[1. Is that right? Wow, that’s fookin’ late.], AMG Himself opined that we’re in the midst of a melodeath revival of sorts. With impressive releases by Eternal Storm and Disillusion already on the books, and In Mourning’s new one getting some early high marks, perhaps Angry Metal Dad is onto something. Insomnium’s eighth full-length Heart Like a Grave won’t be undercutting his hypothesis either.”

Vorna – Sateet palata saavat Review

Vorna – Sateet palata saavat Review

“With the annual pilgrimage to dead leaves and perpetual darkness underway, an appropriate soundtrack is imperative to survival; I need something that will simultaneously sonically augment the surrounding scenery as well as shield me from its scheduled sadness, something which will bring this death to life and save me from it. Such a savior has arrived in the form of Vorna’s Sateet palata saavat, and though I am loathe to share such splendor with the likes ov you, the urge to babble about said greatness has temporarily overtaken my selfish recalcitrance: you’re welcome, yo.” The autumn wind smells like Muppet.

Stahlmann – Kinder der Sehnsucht Review

Stahlmann – Kinder der Sehnsucht Review

“In 2017 I reviewed the fourth album by Stalhmann with the coarse name of Bastard. It continued their adoption of the Neue Deutsche Härte sound modeled on a more electronic version of Rammstein. Album five goes by Kinder der Sehnsucht (Children of Longing) and remains on the straight and narrow path of their style already well-established.” Kinder bar.

Cold Colours – Northernmost Review

Cold Colours – Northernmost Review

“It’s at times like these—wherein I pick up something from the promo bin of a genre which I haven’t visited in a while—that I am reminded of my indiscriminate taste in metal. In this instance I have selected Northernmost, the fifth installment of atmospheric death-doom from Minneapolis quintet Cold Colours. This will be my first foray into Cold Colours’ music, and my hope was that Northernmost could light a fire within me to check out everything the band released over their over-20-year span.” Terminal ennui.

Omnium Gatherum – The Burning Cold Review

Omnium Gatherum – The Burning Cold Review

“I wasn’t all that impressed with 2016s Grey Heavens. To my ears it felt flat and a bit boring, and the inclusion of a more stripped down modern sound didn’t feel like it fit the band’s tried-and-true formula. Naturally this led me to approach The Burning Cold with some trepidation, hoping for a return to form but bracing for diminishing returns. So which will it be for this Finnish melo-death institution? Newfound glory or further decline?” It’s very cold in sadboy world.

Coldbound – The Gale Review

Coldbound – The Gale Review

“Early in the year, I considered pitching a State of the Genre series. Ezpz, I thought. Lather yourself in creamy melodeath goodness and pump yourself full of thrash for six months, then blast all your thoughts into a word doc for an easy win. What could go wrong? This damn year, that’s what. It’s not that both genres let me down in stunning fashion – it’s that EVERY genre.” Dying a slow melodeath.