Grey Heavens

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Grey Heavens
Grey Heavens.jpg
Studio album by
Released17 February 2016 (2016-02-17)
Recorded2015
Genre Melodic death metal
Length56:12
Label Lifeforce
Producer Markus Vanhala, Teemu Aalto
Omnium Gatherum chronology
Beyond
(2013)
Grey Heavens
(2016)
The Burning Cold
(2018)
Singles from Grey Heavens
  1. "Skyline"
    Released: 11 August 2015 [1]
  2. "Frontiers"
    Released: 26 January 2016 [2]
  3. "The Pit"
    Released: 12 February 2016 [3]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Louder Sound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Metal Storm 8.3/10 [5]
The Moshville Times10/10 [6]
Sputnikmusic 2.5/5 [7]

Grey Heavens is the seventh studio album by Finnish melodic death metal band Omnium Gatherum. It was released on 17 February 2016 in Japan via Avalon Marquee, 19 February in Finland, and 26 February in the rest of Europe via Lifeforce. [8] It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics.

Contents

Production

It 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

Grey 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

No.TitleLength
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

Production

References

  1. "OMNIUM GATHERUM Streaming "Skyline" Single – BraveWords". BraveWords . 11 August 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  2. "OMNIUM GATHERUM Premier "Frontiers" Music Video – BraveWords". BraveWords . 26 January 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  3. "OMNIUM GATHERUM Premier New Song "The Pit"; Audio – BraveWords". BraveWords . 12 February 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  4. McFee, Edwin (2 February 2016). "Omnium Gatherum: Grey Heavens". Louder Sound . Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  5. "Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens review". Metal Storm . 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  6. "Review: Omnium Gatherum- Grey Heavens". The Moshville Times. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  7. Scott, Brandon (28 February 2016). "Omnium Gatherum – Grey Heavens (album review)". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  8. "OMNIUM GATHERUM – Grey Heavens Album Details Revealed – BraveWords". BraveWords . 26 November 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  9. "OMNIUM GATHERUM Sign Deal With Century Media Records – BraveWords". BraveWords . 19 October 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  10. "OMNIUM GATHERUM Announce New Drummer; Drum-Cam Video Posted – BraveWords". BraveWords . 6 October 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  11. "OMNIUM GATHERUM: "GREY HEAVENS"". No Clean Singing. 12 February 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2023.