That restless drive seems to define the band itself. After all, few groups make it to their tenth album and almost thirty years without losing their spark. For Jukka, who’s about to celebrate two decades fronting OG, the achievement feels both surreal and satisfying. “I never really imagined myself having a career,” he smiles. “I’ve always been a free spirit, just taking things as they come. But after twenty years, yeah — I guess I can call it one now.” There’s no trace of fatigue in his voice, though. The idea of slowing down doesn’t seem to cross his mind. “We’re still happy to release new music, and especially to play it live,” he says. “That’s the most important thing for me.”

Their new album, ‘May the Bridges We Burn Light the Way’, carries a title that feels both poetic and defiant and fittingly, it’s the first one Jukka didn’t come up with himself. “Markus found that phrase somewhere, and it just clicked,” he explains. “It suits the record perfectly. There’s this loose ‘street’ theme running through it — stories from the streets, people you might pass by without really seeing. Somehow that title tied all the songs together.”

That concept of street-level storytelling pushed him into new lyrical territory. Known for his more abstract, philosophical writing, Jukka wanted to focus this time on ordinary lives, the kind that often slip through the cracks. “It made me think differently about lyrics,” he admits. “It was challenging, but it helped me grow. For the first time, I was really telling stories — about dreamers, liars, wanderers. Especially those struggling with addiction or aimlessness. You see them in every big city. They’re walking around like ghosts, ignored by most people.”

Musically, the album mirrors that stripped-down realism. After the mid-tempo introspection of ‘Origin’, this record hits harder and moves faster, a deliberate return to the melodic death metal core that built OG’s reputation. “We wanted to just hit the gas,” Jukka says with a grin. “Make straightforward songs with the melodies that OG has always been known for. It’s more raw, more direct. But it’s also about connecting the past and the future — that balance between what made us who we are and what’s still to come.”

That balance between heaviness and light runs through everything they do. Even when the lyrics dive into addiction, despair, or decay, the music never gives in to hopelessness. “Maybe it’s just our chemistry as a band,” he reflects. “The topics can get dark, but there’s always some silver lining in there. And let’s not forget — we play death metal. The darkness is part of the deal.”

The recording process brought new sparks too. Working closely with Björn “Speed” Strid (Soilwork) on vocals added an outside energy that Jukka clearly appreciated. “Björn is amazing,” he says with real admiration. “I’ve looked up to him since I was young. I was about ninety-eight percent ready when we hit the studio, but he has this great sense of when to push and when to hold back. It was all about the small details — a phrase here, a bit more intensity there. He just knew how to get the best out of me.”

When the conversation turns to ‘The Last Hero’, one of the album’s lead singles, Jukka’s grin turns wry. “It’s an ironic story,” he says. “About someone obsessed with being the savior — needing to control everything, even when they mean well. Like Tina Turner said: we don’t need another hero.”  In a sense you could also see it as a bit of a theme song for OG: the underdog that keeps fighting uphill. Which gives Jukka somewhat of a chuckle, adding “Sometimes maybe for better or for worse.”

That mix of humility and determination might just be what’s kept Omnium Gatherum burning all these years. As the band gears up for a string of shows from Full Metal Holiday in Mallorca to tours across North America and Europe, Jukka’s eyes light up when talk shifts to the stage. “We love to play live,” he says simply. “Come share the moment with us.”

Before wrapping up, I ask him to sum up the new album in one word. He doesn’t hesitate. “Straightforward,” he answers with a chuckle and somehow, it’s the perfect description.

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