A new Omnium Gatherum album is always something I highly anticipate. Each of their four albums leading up to New World Shadows, their fifth, has been an excellent slice of melodic death metal with that unmistakable Finnish slant. Each has had it’s own unique feel, a noticeable progression from the last, and New World Shadows is no different.
Further building upon the beautifully somber tones which seemed perfected on 2008’s The Redshift, the songs here on New World Shadows are longer and more expansive than those of it’s predecessor – the album opens and closes with the 9 plus minute epics “Everfields” and “Deep Cold”, respectively – each track sees the band playing with more melodies and textures than before, branching into ever new territory; “An Infinite Mind” sees the band toying with spoken word verses and a bigger, punchier chorus that works really well; “Watcher of the Skies” is a 4 minute instrumental that is much more epic in scope than length, working off a slow build into a series of soaring melodies.
On the more familiar side of things, the title track is more straight forward and is absolutely infectious with an addictive main melody and some clean vocal contributions that add to the atmosphere rather than dominate it. “Ego”, “Nova Flame”, and “The Distance” are a bit more upbeat in comparison, and would slot in nicely on The Redshift, helping bridge the two albums nicely.
The mixing and mastering once again was handled by Dan Swano (who also added some clean vocals himself), and his touch is certainly felt throughout the album, as that Edge of Sanity vibe, not necessarily sound, peaks through periodically.
New World Shadows is probably Omnium Gatherum‘s pinnacle – it’s leaps and bounds ahead of their first three efforts, which are no slouches themselves, and even a step up on The Redshift, which was one of my favorite albums of 2008. Though if their pattern holds, the next album could potentially be something even more remarkable, but that’s something I can hardly fathom. Only time will tell I suppose, but in the meantime we have a spectacular album in New World Shadows to absorb.
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They did it again, Larry. Great review and a great album. This band is setting up for a monumental album in the future. This is one of the years best already.
on Mar 7th, 2011 at 07:22I can’t think of a better MDM album released since Insomnium’s Above the Weeping World.
I prefer this to Belakor’s output, Kalmah’s 12 Gauge was awesome, but this album is just in another stratosphere.
Masterpiece.
on Mar 9th, 2011 at 18:08Yep, this is their best album. Totally amazing. I love Belakor too, and this is definitely in the same league. The new albums by both bands totally outshine the latest Dark Tranquility.
on Mar 10th, 2011 at 14:11Everfeilds is amazing. This album does a great job of building each song to the climax.
on Mar 10th, 2011 at 14:21I havent heard much from these guys since Spirits so I was still expecting straight-ahead MDM, not the lush, majestic death/doom they’ve presented here. quite the evolution. eager to get to know this one better.
on Mar 12th, 2011 at 16:45This is really really good and I have to agree that it sounds like their best yet. I had kind of a bad time with this band because I thought Spirits.. was fantastic but the couple of tapes after that were not as good. The Redshift was great though and turned things around. I think I might still like Spirits best but it could just be because of the memories it brings back for me.
on Mar 16th, 2011 at 01:50