Grey Heavens is the seventh full-length studio album of Finnish melodic death metal band Omnium Gatherum. It was released on February 17, 2016 in Japan via Avalon Marquee, February 19 in Finland, and February 26 in the rest of Europe via Lifeforce.[8] It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics.
| Grey Heavens | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 17, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2015 | |||
| Genre | Melodic death metal, progressive metal[1] | |||
| Length | 56:12 | |||
| Label | Lifeforce | |||
| Producer | Markus Vanhala, Teemu Aalto | |||
| Omnium Gatherum chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Grey Heavens | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Louder Sound |    [1] |
| Metal Storm | 8.3/10[5] |
| The Moshville Times | 10/10[6] |
| Sputnikmusic | 2.5/5[7] |
Production
editIt is the band's last album with Lifeforce, as they would later sign a deal with Century Media Records (which released Grey Heavens in America) for subsequent releases,[9] as well as their last with longtime drummer Jarmo Pikka, who initially left temporarily for a paternity leave, with Tuomo Latvala filling in, but eventually, Pikka's departure was made permanent and Latvala was promoted to being a full-time member.[10]
Reception
editGrey Heavens received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. However, Andy Synn of No Clean Singing criticised the album, saying that while "it positively crackles with the band’s patented musical magic, driven by the same passion and energy that made The Redshift, New World Shadows, and Beyond such thrilling, electrifying albums, ably accented by characteristic tinges of proggy melancholy and shamelessly extravagant fretboard theatrics", the album "limps rather than gallops along, with a much more uneven gait, hamstrung and prevented from reaching its full potential by a nagging feeling of over-familiarity and a sense of “been there, done that” which lingers like a vaguely unpleasant odour."[11]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Pit" | 4:34 |
| 2. | "Skyline" | 4:30 |
| 3. | "Frontiers" | 5:09 |
| 4. | "Majesty and Silence" | 8:36 |
| 5. | "Rejuvenate!" | 5:28 |
| 6. | "Foundation" | 5:49 |
| 7. | "The Great Liberation" | 5:15 |
| 8. | "Ophidian Sunrise" | 6:13 |
| 9. | "These Grey Heavens" | 4:25 |
| 10. | "Storm Front" | 6:13 |
Personnel
edit- Jukka Pelkonen – vocals
- Markus Vanhala – guitar
- Joonas "Jope" Koto – guitar, clean vocals
- Aapo Koivisto – keyboards
- Erkki Silvennoinen – bass
- Jarmo Pikka – drums
Production
- Produced by Markus Vanhala and Teemu Aalto
- Mixed and Mastered by Dan Swanö
- Artwork by Olli Lappalainen
References
edit- ^ a b McFee, Edwin (2 February 2016). "Omnium Gatherum: Grey Heavens". Louder Sound. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "OMNIUM GATHERUM Streaming "Skyline" Single - BraveWords". BraveWords. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "OMNIUM GATHERUM Premier "Frontiers" Music Video - BraveWords". BraveWords. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "OMNIUM GATHERUM Premier New Song "The Pit"; Audio - BraveWords". BraveWords. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Omnium Gatherum - Grey Heavens review". Metal Storm. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Review: Omnium Gatherum- Grey Heavens". The Moshville Times. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Scott, Brandon (28 February 2016). "Omnium Gatherum - Grey Heavens (album review )". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "OMNIUM GATHERUM - Grey Heavens Album Details Revealed - BraveWords". BraveWords. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "OMNIUM GATHERUM Sign Deal With Century Media Records - BraveWords". BraveWords. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "OMNIUM GATHERUM Announce New Drummer; Drum-Cam Video Posted - BraveWords". BraveWords. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "OMNIUM GATHERUM: "GREY HEAVENS"". No Clean Singing. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.