All Photos By Wendy Jasper
It was a night of wildly varied, charismatic and intellectual fare as OMNIUM GATHERUM and INSOMNIUM graced the Studio at the Factory in Dallas, Texas. Due to torrential rains and slow traffic I, unfortunately, missed WILDERUN and I will have to make up for that one day. However, it will be a cold day in hell (assuming Hell is actually hot; it might be akin to a Norwegian winter) before I miss OG and INSOMNIUM on one of their trips across the pond.
OMNIUM GATHERUM is one of those bands that once you see them live, you never want to miss them; ever. I discovered them quite by accident and I have been hooked since that time. What is even better is that due to sharing a guitarist, they will often be on a joint tour with INSOMNIUM; and together they are a powerful show of grace and elegance, style and substance.
OMNIUM GATHERUM is a fun band. They embody classic elements of thrash while venturing into the melodic death arena. They work well together and are tightly knit. While some of the members have changed over the years you wouldn't know it with the comradery they have onstage and off.
Founding member Markus has dedicated his life to this band and to INSOMNIUM and he transitions seamlessly into each song. He is energetic and meticulous as he moves from one song to the next. Jukka is one of the most fluid vocalists of this genre and he brings so much to the music; the harmonies set this band apart from their contemporaries. This is a band that delivers live what you hear on the album; they are that polished and it shows.
The standout song for this band has always been "White Palace"; it is a ten-plus minute long opus that may seem daunting to perform but this band does it effortlessly. It is also not one that gets played live often, so this was a treat if you got to see this tour. "Reckoning", "Soul Journeys" and "New Dynamic" were the best songs of the night and the crowd was alive throughout the entire set.
The band will tour again with INSOMNIUM in early 2025 for a European trek that celebrates the anniversary of 2013's Beyond and they will play the entire album, and "White Palace" will, of course, be the focal point of that show. I certainly hope they decided to come back to the US to celebrate this anniversary.
The tone of the show darkened as INSOMNIUM took the stage. It also meant double duty for both guitarists Markus and Nick. Niilo is the quintessential vocalist/bassist combination and his intensity is fierce.
This band has been together almost thirty years so their set list is diverse. They have a lot to choose from and it is hard to pare it down to an hour and a half. However, they chose songs that resonated with the audience and it was a blackened death thrill ride.
"Ephemeral" is a must have for an INSOMNIUM show and "Change of Heart" and "Lilian" merged into "And Bells They Toll" for a powerful and penetrating attack on the senses. "The Gale" and "Song of The Dusk" are two of my personal favorites and "The Primeval Dark" pitched the audience into a frenzy. The show closer, "Heart Like a Grave" is a raw and desolate ode and I really like how the band diversified their set list to accommodate music for old and new fans alike.
This summer the band embarks on their European tour, starting at Z! Live Rock Fest in Spain and ending in Oslo, Norway; so they will be busy for the foreseeable future.
In early 2025 the band will embark on an anniversary tour for their album Shadows of The Dying Sun and Niilo said that this album captured a pivotal moment in their career and many of the songs have never been played live, so it is an experience that fans should treasure. Again, since they will be out with their partners in OMNIUM GATHERUM for this tour, I hope it comes back through the US.
Information about the tour and the band in general can be found at www.insomnium.net and you can also link to their social media from that site as well.
It was a feast for the senses to see this show and if you have never had the opportunity to see either band, you should rectify that as soon as humanly possible.
Check out some more photos from the show!
All Photos By Wendy Jasper
