May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way

Formed in 1996 in the coastal town of Karhula, Omnium Gatherum has long stood at the crossroads of traditional heavy metal, Gothenburg-style melodic death, and progressive finesse – earning the tongue-in-cheek label Adult-Oriented Death Metal. On 'May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way', founding guitarist and chief songwriter Markus Vanhala (also in Insomnium, Cemetery Skyline) sought to capture the band’s full scope: catchy hooks, searing solos, thunderous rhythms, inventive keys, and vocals that shift between aggression and melody with ease. Through its lyrics, 'May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way' is structured as a loose concept album, narrating & 'stories from the streets' through the experiences of dreamers, fiends, liars and wanderers.Songs like ’Walking Ghost Phase’ delve into addiction and despair, while ’Ignite the Flame’ champions brotherhood and rebellion. In ’The Darkest City’, the urban landscape itself speaks, reflecting the chaos of the modern world. “There’s a 90s spirit in these lyrics as well,” says Vanhala. “Even if they’re not autobiographical, they echo where we came from – street corners, blasting metal and dreaming big.”The music was captured in various Finnish studios – some in repurposed industrial spaces with a haunted stillness. Meanwhile, Jukka Pelkonen’s vocal sessions were tracked in Sweden with Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork), who co-produced the vocals and lent his voice to the powerful gang shouts. For the gearheads, the vocal tracks were cut on the legendary SSL console used on Queen's 'Innuendo' adding a touch of rock history to the powerful performance. And to round out the album's production, the band once again turned to Jens Bogren and Tony Lindgren from Sweden's renowned Fascination Street Studios for mixing and mastering.