Omnium Gatherum – “Years in Waste”
Excellent album! I had no idea that this band was ridiculously good. Even the pickiest metal audience would have to give props: old school, new school, it doesn’t matter because Omnium Gatherum do everything right. All serious metal people should give this band a chance. Categories don’t really work here because, for instance, even though the vocals are death metal, they have an extra something special that makes them good (no clean singing here). The guitar work falls in the thrash/death category, but tight, bouncy, and dynamic without sounding cheesy/melodic/ear-candy. At the same time, it’s strong riffing, memorable, headbanging work. This is a persuasive example of why good drumming is so important: tight and skilled, of course, but the main thing that I like about it is the way it works so well with the rhythm of the song. The songs just sound very on target: total unity of sound structure meandering, moving, turning, circling, blasting, thrashing, slowing down to brief quiet moments and then gathering itself up once again, ready to roll on forward. I am pleasantly surprised with how talented this is.