The melodic death metallers from Finland, OMNIUM GATHERUM recorded their forth album The Redshift in Spring of 2008 about a year after their last release.The album was mixed and mastered at Unisound Studio in Sweden by Dan Swano (EDGE OF SANITY, NIGHTINGALE, KATATONIA, UNICORN, INFESTDEAD etc) . Swano's remarks about The Redshift were the following: I hate bands like OMNIUM GATHERUM, they are so good it pisses me off!!! Their fine blend of melody and aggression is so good I actually thought about stealing the record and releasing it as my own  You won't find a better album in years.    
And in this part I come to say that I totally agree with the words of Mr.Swano as The Redshift is one of the most interesting releases I have heard these days.  In this album, the Finns create a complete work of melodic death metal with progressive elements. The starter song  The Nail is a composition which kicks you in the face and prepares you for what is about to come next. Thrashy drum beats, progressive guitar riffs and Jukka Pelkonen's brutal vocals gets the listener up and wild! The next track A Shadowkey starts melodically and after a few seconds gets exactly to the point with fast drumming and progressive guitar riffs whose high notes come to contrast with the vocals.The bass line is really solid and full. OMNIUM GATHERUM here play with the rhythm alterations and release the density from rage to relief with the slower moments.
Chameleon Skin starts with solo drumming and as the guitars come in, it creates the perfect moment for headbanging. When I listen to this piece I can only imagine the moshpit it will create when played live. Angry vocalisms and violent guitars along with the furious drumming and the staccato moments create frenzy!
The next song No Breaking Point introduces a melody played by keyboards which makes the song really catchy (and I'm saying this in a good way). The vocals are held on a straight line in the chorus underlining the song's main melody and following the lead guitars.
The Return starts with a more electronic texture playing a melody on keyoards and the songs has a more danceable (as danceable a progressive death song like this can be) because of the groove the drumbeats are giving. Still the progressive leads guitars are prominent!
Shapes On Shades comes next and starts mildly with melody on guitar and drums quickly coming to the point when agressiveness bursts again! This song reminds me a bit of IN FLAMES in the times of Reroute to Remain because of the way guitar riffs and vocals  are being manipulated.
The next track The Red Shifter comes in punching with sharp guitar riffs and a razor like guitar slide with -for once again- Jukka's beastly roars creating a mayhem! After this killer song comes Greeneyes a slower, more melodic piece where Jukka is being more emotional in his singing and you can hear his bass notes bringing the Winter in your heart. The Second Flame follows the same aggressive pattern with the afforementioned songs with a great bass line and palm muted guitar moments and Song For December which is an instrumental piece gives another melodic touch to the album starting with broken chords and romantic yet sorrowful melodies to end up with the closing, solid piece Distant Light Highway.
The Redshift is a full fledged melodic Death album and it is definetely one of the releases you should check out if you're fan of the genre. Each composition is thoroughly thought and carried out to create the solid and unique masterpiece this album is!