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Here we have Omnium Gatherum, the talented melodic death metal sextet from Finland, returning with their third release, Stuck Here On Snake's Way. Unquestionably this is a release that will attract many curious eyes and ears around the metal world. After a highly regarded, terrific debut album, Spirits And August Light, the band was dubbed one of the next power players in the game. The follow up, 2005’s Years In Waste, was a good album in its own right but failed to receive the same accolades as its predecessor. Perhaps a simple sophomore jinx? Maybe so, but any way you look at it, the latest album could be a vital point in the band’s career. Not to put too much pressure on the guys, but a strong record at this point could very well catapult them into the forefront of the genre, while anything less may find them grounded into mediocrity with countless other bands. One major alteration in the make up of Omnium Gatherum since their last release, though, is the arrival of new lead singer Jukka Pelkonen. While there is not an earth shattering difference from previous singer Anti Filppu, there are some notable differences, particularly in the tone as Jukka’s growls can be described as rougher and rawer. It’s quite difficult to say, however, if this is an actual improvement or a step back. One thing the new guy does have in his corner is his clean singing voice as exemplified on the track "Just Signs," with this being one of the better tracks on the album. There is a lot of depth to the sound of Omnium Gatherum and this is not surprising with six musicians on board. While Stuck Here On Snake's Way is an album firmly rooted in Gothenburg metal, the band also mixes in elements of thrash and prog. While the core sound centers around the riffs and melodies, the songs remain of a complex structure, ambitious in scope. A key engrossing aspect is their use of keyboards, which contributes a great deal to the sonic landscapes that Omnium Gatherum aspire for. With all this going on though, there are only a few songs which exceed the four minute mark, so they remain quick hitters, not long drawn out compositions, even though they have a building, majestic feel to them. The guys do play well off each other; a perfect example of this would be the opening main track "Into Sea," where all of the attributes of the band come into play. As a whole, the album opens up strongly but then tends to lose a little bit of its intensity. However, the latter half does close out strong, beginning with the previously mentioned "Just Signs." The ultimate feeling here is that Stuck Here On Snake's Way is an above average effort but may be a little unfocused at times. Fans of the band who have heard their previous works will most likely feel that it is yet still not on par with their Spirits And August Light album and therefore will be disappointed.
| Tracklist |
| 1. The Snake And The Way |
| 2. Into Sea |
| 3. Dysnomia |
| 4. A-Part Of God |
| 5. Undertaker |
| 6. Bastard-O |
| 7. The Third Flame |
| 8. Just Signs |
| 9. Truth |
| 10. Drudgery |
| 11. In Sane World |
| 12. Spiritual |
: 44:28
| Buy other Omnium Gatherum albums |
