To celebrate the release of their new album, “May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way” that is finally out, Omnium Gatherum are releasing a video for the epic “The Darkest City” which was produced by Jari Heino and Coldstore Productions.
”’The Darkest City’ is the anthem within the new album”, says Jukka Pelkonen (vocals). “It is heavy, demanding and fulfilling. I love it.” Markus Vanhala (guitar) further adds: “’The Darkest City’ is my personal favorite from the album. While the previous three tracks have been shorter and catchy, this one is a more cinematic and storytelling song that shows the albums’ deeper side. OG and beyond!” Vanhala elaborates on the album: “This is album number X, so we had to walk a lil’ extra mile. We dug up elements from our past and polished them, so we could use them in the future. This is OG in its purest and solid form. After the more midtempo focused ‘Origin’ we needed to speed things up and turbocharge.”
“May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way” is released to much acclaim by international media:
Album of the Month – Scream (NO)
#2 soundcheck metal.de
#3 soundcheck Metal Hammer (DE)
#5 soundcheck Rock Hard (DE)
#5 soundcheck Aardschok (NL)
Get it here: https://omnium-gatherum.lnk.to/MayTheBridgesWeBurnLightTheWay
Check out the videos previously released from “May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way”:
–“The Last Hero (Official Video)”: https://youtu.be/Uj1-_ZpDug4
–“My Pain (Official Video)”: https://youtu.be/i5wDoaM_HDQ
–“Walking Ghost Phase (Visualizer)”: https://youtu.be/AlXl1PT2X1Q
The dedicated road dogs have announced extensive, worldwide touring starting with a North American tour in November / December that is followed by Finland in January, a European tour in February / March and Spanish dates in April of next year. Vanhala says: “Our calendars are full, just the way we like it. The album cycle starts with headline tours in North America, Europe and Finland and more will follow. We’re a sweaty, honest live band to the core!” Pelkonen comments: “We have a lot of shows coming up around the world to promote the new album. That is rad! We like to tour and I have to say it will be phenomenal to play any and every of the new songs live.”
Catch Omnium Gatherum live:
Nov 7-9 – Helsinki-Stockholm – Hellsinki Metal Cruise
May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way – North American Tour 2025
Supports: Aether Realm, Hinayana
Nov 16 – Boston, MA – Sonia
Nov 17 – Quebec City, QC – Source de La Martiniere
Nov 18 – Montreal, QC – Foufounes Electriques
Nov 19 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
Nov 20 – Detroit, MI – The Sanctuary
Nov 21 – Indianapolis, IN – Black Circle
Nov 22 – Chicago, IL – Reggie’s
Nov 23 – Minneapolis, MN – Skyway Theater (Studio B)
Nov 24 – Kansas City, MO – Warehouse on Broadway
Nov 25 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theater
Nov 26 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall
Nov 28 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon
Nov 29 – Vancouver, BC – Rickshaw Theatre
Nov 30 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theater
Dec 1 – Sacramento, CA – Goldfield Midtown
Dec 2 – Los Angeles, CA – 1720
Dec 3 – San Diego, CA – Brick by Brick
Dec 4 – Mesa, AZ – The Rosetta Room
Dec 5 – El Paso, TX – Rockhouse Bar & Grill
Dec 6 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
Dec 7 – Dallas, TX – Trees
Dec 8 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
Dec 10 – Orlando, FL – Conduit
Dec 11 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
Dec 12 – Greensboro, NC – Hangar 1819
Dec 13 – Harrisburg, PA – Capitol City Music Hall
Dec 14 – New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre
Finland headlining:
Jan 09 – Kotka – Street Food Factory
Jan 10 – Rytmikorjaamo – Seinäjoki Metal Fest
Jan 16 – Oulu – Kantakrouvi
Jan 17 – Tampere – Olympia
Jan 23 – Jyväskylä – Lutakko
Jan 24 – Helsinki – Tavastia
May The Bridges We Burn Light The Way – European Tour 2026
Supports: Fallujah, In Mourning
Feb 11 – Copenhagen, DK – Pumpehuset
Feb 12 – Hamburg, DE – Gruenspan
Feb 13 – Leipzig, DE – Hellraiser
Feb 14 – Berlin, DE – Lido
Feb 15 – Krakow, PL – Hype Park
Feb 17 – Budapest, HU – Barba Negra
Feb 18 – Prague, CZ – Rock Café
Feb 19 – Vienna, AT – Szene
Feb 20 – Munich, DE – Backstage Halle
Feb 21 – Aarau, CH – Kiff
Feb 22 – Stuttgart, DE – Im Wizemann
Feb 23 – Lindau, DE – Club Vaudeville
Feb 25 – Hannover, DE – Musikzentrum
Feb 26 – Aschaffenburg, DE – Colos-Saal
Feb 27 – Almelo, NL – Metropool
Feb 28 – Oberhausen, DE – Kulttempel
Mar 1 – Esch-sur-Alzette, LU – Rockhal
Mar 3 – Colmar, FR – Le Grillen
Mar 4 – Paris, FR – Petit Bain
Mar 5 – Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg
Mar 6 – Kortrijk, BE – DVG
Mar 7 – London, UK – The Dome
APR 8 – MOS, ES – Sala Rebullón
APR 9 – Madrid, ES – Revi Live
APR 10 – Barcelona, ES – Sala Upload
APR 11 – Valencia, ES – Rock City
APR 12 – Vitoria, ES – Urban Rock Concept
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. Running under 45 minutes, the record hits hard and moves fast – zero filler, maximum impact.
Omnium Gatherum line-up:
Jukka Pelkonen – Vocals
Markus Vanhala – Guitars, backing vocals
Aapo Koivisto – Keyboards
Mikko Kivistö – Bass, backing vocals
Atte Pesonen – Drums
OMNIUM GATHERUM online:
https://www.omniumgatherum.org/
https://www.instagram.com/omniumgatherumofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/omniumgatherumband/
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