Melodeath is one of my favorite metal subgenres, both to listen to and to see live. So when Omnium Gatherum announced a North American tour to start just after the release of their new album, May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way, alongside Aether Realm and Hinayana,  I knew I needed to go. I was thrilled that there was a Detroit date at one of the best smaller venues in the area, The Sanctuary. The show on November 20, 2025, wasn’t nearly as packed as I’d expected (likely due to another show nearby), but it still made for a more intimate experience for us. Read on for highlights.

Detroit progressive metal band The Eighth Passenger kicked off the night. I hadn’t heard them before, so entering this set with no idea what to expect was fun. Their heavy, chuggy riffs and bombastic drums were a djent-fueled delight. Not to mention the ‘drifting in space’ interludes between intense, punchy melodies, which made for a high-energy set to start the night off right. 

The Eighth Passenger

Photo Credit: Kyle Finlan

Next was the melodic death metal band Hinayana. After a handful of European tours, this is their first time touring the US outside of their home state of Texas. I’ve been a fan since their 2018 debut, so I was thrilled to see them on a melodeath-heavy North American tour roster at long last. Their stage presence carried an air of mystery in low lighting, yet still featured colorful moments of green and red. Fitting with their music, truth be told. Their music is heavy on the atmosphere, set by guitars and keys/synths (the latter was live via backing track). I was mesmerized by the music, pleased they played songs like the beautiful, anguish-fueled “Triptych Visions” and the lament for human connection, “Death of the Cosmic”. A lovely set, although I would have loved for them to play longer! 

Hinayana

Photo Credit: Kyle Finlan

Up next is a favorite band, North Carolina-based Aether Realm. This band sits on the heavier, more playful side of melodeath, a la Children of Bodom. Their sets are always a pleasure, thanks to their death n’ roll, catchy riffs, and melodies that often make you want to thrash around and move. This set was somewhat cathartic with them playing what frontman Jake called their “fast songs”, including the moshworthy song “Get Fukd”, “Swampwitch”, plus their own fan song “TMHC”. They had a great time on stage and didn’t miss a beat. I definitely needed some heavy headbanging, and Aether Realm never misses on that front. 

Aether Realm

Photo Credit: Kyle Finlan

Last but certainly not least came Omnium Gatherum. This band is one of the founding bands of melodeath and always brings the heat. They’re one of those rare bands that represent their own merch and truly look like they’re delighted to be performing. This set was all feel-good vibes, given that this is their first tour since the release of their new album, May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way, just a few weeks ago! They surprisingly only played the singles from that album, including my favorite “The Darkest City”. It was otherwise a lot of crowd-pleasers like “Slasher” and “Gods Go First”. I quite enjoyed the throwback tracks like the captivating “Nightwalkers”; many moments of that song gave me goosebumps. I’m a sucker for bands with a live keyboardist, and Aapo Koivisto is one of the best. Every note feels so emotive and dreamy in their music, and it adds so much more than when keys are on a backing track. I also have to mention the charismatic, ball-of-pure-energy frontman, Jukka Pelkonen. He is such a joy to watch perform, and he genuinely seems to love being amongst fans. His trademark metal bracket gesture with fans was so wholesome to see while he was on stage. I certainly left the show feeling so much lighter than when I arrived. 

Melodeath tours are becoming a precious commodity here in the US. It’s fan interests shifting or the political climate, or a blend of both. So it was even more of a joy to see this stacked roster and truly immerse myself in the music. It was a cathartic and glorious experience, worth waking up with a sore neck for, and I genuinely hope there are more of these tours to come. 

Omnium Gatherum

Photo Credit: Kyle Finlan

All photos captured by Kyle Finlan 

Emily Schneider

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