Omnium Gatherum

Spire – Entropy Review

By Madam X on August 5, 2016 in 2016, Ambient Metal, Australian Metal, Black Metal, Iron Bonehead Productions, Reviews, Ambient Metal, Black Metal, 9 comments

“Believe it or not the life of a music reviewer is not as glamorous as one would think. Yes, from time to time you’re invited to the likes of Thor’s Rock Opera in some trendy part of New York City, you’re jet-setting off to Chicago with tickets to Alehorn of Power IX, or you’re the first to get your grubby mitts on Swallow the Sun’s new triple album. Outside of those jaw-dropping moments though, reviewing consists of picking some unknown band/album off the promo sheet with your fingers tightly crossed hoping that what’s going to burst out of your monitors isn’t going to suck monkey balls. Aussie ambient/black metallers, Spire, was one of those random, finger-crossing, hope-for-the-best-expect-the-worst moments.” Sometimes you win and sometimes….

Countless Skies – New Dawn Review

By Saunders on June 23, 2016 in 2016, English Metal, Kolony Records, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Death, 27 comments

“Cheekily dubbed “Be’lacore” on the promo spreadsheet and with my esteemed colleague El Cuervo dissecting the upcoming Be’lakor album, I felt it my duty to ride the coattails of that anticipated release by examining the debut full length from UK melodic death outfit Countless Skies, named after a song from the Australian melodeath kingpins.” Death is getting really mellow of late.

Be’lakor – Vessels Review

By El Cuervo on June 17, 2016 in 2016, Australian Metal, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Napalm Records, Progressive Death, Reviews, Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 53 comments

“Hey kids. I’ve been away a while. Real life grabbed me by the collar and I couldn’t ignore it for fear of fucking up my future. But unlike your father who left for those cigarettes 10 years ago, I have returned. And what a way to return – the new Be’lakor, the critically-acclaimed melodeath darling child from Down Under.” What a way to make a re-entrance!

In Mourning – Afterglow Review

By Madam X on May 23, 2016 in 2016, Agonia Records, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Progressive Metal, 41 comments

“Coming across In Mourning’s The Weight of Oceans was a great surprise. I knew nothing of the band, but the album art stole my breath away and for that reason alone, no matter what it sounded like, I needed to posses The Weight of Oceans. I grabbed the album and hit play, within seconds captivating waves washed over me, I was sold. Four years on, The Weight of Oceans still ranks as one of my most loved albums. Along comes Afterglow and I’m brimming with hope that it’ll be a solid continuation of its predecessor.” High expectations can be a frigid bitch.

Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens Review

By Madam X on February 10, 2016 in 2016, Finnish Metal, Lifeforce Records, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 57 comments

“When great music flows from a band like water, it cranks up expectation to burning point. Your nerves tingle at the mere mention of a new official video. And your palms sweat a little as the band’s shiny new promo drops like manna into your outstretched, grabby hands. With so many full-bodied offerings under their belt, can Omnium Gatherum make a clean sweep giving themselves a mighty four out of four winning streak?” Grey is the new black.

Madam X’s Top 10(ish) of 2015

By Madam X on December 26, 2015 in 2015, Blog Posts, Lists, 37 comments

“This year saw many a change… Old friends were lost and new friends were found, likewise there were job and career changes, but through it all AMG and its growing feeling of community shone bright and strong.”

Enshine – Singularity Review

By Steel Druhm on October 15, 2015 in 2015, Melodic Death Metal, Rain Without End records, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, 88 comments

“Winter is coming, and when the cold reaches my home and hearth, it’s time to break out the top-shelf sad boy melodic doom-death and spin it until Odin renews the world and grants primacy to the sun once more. As the low winter sun encroaches, one of the first bands into the depressive breach is the long defunct but truly excellent Rapture. A close second is the even longer defunct Slumber. The latter released but one brilliant album (Fallout) before imploding, and said album went on to be tragically overlooked.” The Sleeper of Slumber has awakened!

Graveworm – Ascending Hate Review

By Madam X on July 7, 2015 in 2015, AFM Records, Black Metal, Italian Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Symphonic Metal, Black Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, 11 comments

“Not having heard anymore from the Graveworm camp after their 2011 release, you can hardly blame me for assuming the band had realized their obsolescence. Imagine my surprise at getting promo from AFM Records for Ascending Hate. I had to hear it, it was that simple.” Madam X needed to hear some blackened death? In other news: the sun is hot and dogs like steak.

Dantalion – Where Fear is Born Review

By Steel Druhm on December 2, 2014 in 2014, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Reviews, Sleaszy Rider Records, Spanish Metal, Death Metal, Doom Metal, 7 comments

“The Spaniards in Dantalion have been knocking around for quite some time in Iberian obscurity. Having never heard of them, it was the cover for their fifth album, Where Fear is Born that grabbed my steely eye and got me to listen, and I’m quite thankful I did. Though their older albums feature a blend of depressive black metal and melancholic doom, they abandoned the blackened aspect of their sound in favor of melodic, goth-tinged doom death, and from what I’ve heard of their older style, they’re all the better for the switch.” Don’t you just love a surprise? Steel Druhm does. He also loves arts and crafts and long walks in the woods.

Insomnium – Shadows of the Dying Sun Review

By Steel Druhm on April 16, 2014 in 2014, Century Media, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 29 comments

“Over the past decade, Insomnium has been one of, if not the most consistent of the morose Finnish styled melo-death acts in operation. They’ve delivered album after album of “dead puppy under the Christmas tree” flavored music, loaded with gothic trappings and they’ve won the melancholy sweepstakes more often than not. In recent years, fellow countrymen Omnium Gatherum have stolen some of their thunder and lunch money with ripping albums like New World Shadows and Beyond, but the sleepless ones soldiered on regardless, doing what they do best on quality platters like One With Sorrow.” Ready to cry a frozen river? Steel Druhm clearly wasn’t.