Obscura New Abum in Year 2011 OMVINIUM

In 2006, every metal band should have just stopped trying. Okay, so maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration but it’s not too far off from the truth. For five years now, the band known as Obscura has been steadily chugging along, reinventing what some believe to be one of the weakest genres in metal. With protesters pointing out the lack of song development, the repetitive structure and not to mention the almost self-serving masturbatory guitar shredding that tech metal has to offer, it’s easy to see why people could get turned off. Even as a fan of the subgenre myself, I can’t help but sometimes get tired of the same old song and dance routine. However, any and all short comings that people often times attribute to tech metal should ultimately be destroyed upon listening to Ominvium, Obscura’s third full length album.

Omnivium is very reminiscent of 2009’s Cosmogenesis. With the same trademark sound, intricate bass lines and song structure, it’s almost as if their new album picks up right where the last one left off. The difference here is most definitely found in the band’s maturity level. The band stuck with what worked for Cosmogenesis while branching off to try new and less traditional instruments, styles and approaches—things that a younger Obscura would not have dared to attempt. One of the biggest changes is the addition of the acoustic guitar that can be found making appearances throughout the album. From the first notes of the album to periodic usage in songs such as “Prismal Dawn”, it’s easy to see the band is expanding. Coupled with unique vocoder effects and a plethora of other tiny intricacies, Omnivium sees Obscura taking their music to a whole other level—a level that I am not sure anyone knew existed.

The album kicks off with “Septuagint”, the second longest song on the album and right from the get-go you are greeted with the acoustic element of this album. It’s more of a calm before the storm, because it isn’t long before the band kicks it into high gear and pummels you with endless waves of blast beats, guitar shredding and otherworldly vocals. However, being the experienced and mature musicians that they are, it isn’t long before the band breaks up the tech metal with a solo…a bass solo! Yes, you read that right; Omnivium could be one of the few albums ever made in the world of metal to feature a bass solo, let alone a bass solo on the first track pretty much right out the gate. It’s impressive too! With a slower tempo than the rest of the track, the bass kicks in with a jazz-like quality that only Jeroen Paul Thesseling could properly pull off. Around the corner is another smack in the face; the band follows the bass solo with a melodic bridge and clean singing vocals. The outcome is a tech metal song that actually is…well…a song.

The whole album keeps you on your toes, with surprises at every turn. From the sliding bass lines in “Ocean Gateways”, to the periodic interludes that are found in the middle of various songs, there is literally something here for everyone. Not one song sounds like the other but instead each one stands apart, giving the listener the ability to either listen to the album throughout, or pick and choose songs at will; either way, the listener will not be disappointed. And the guitar solos, let’s not forget about the guitar solos! Steffen Kummerer and Christian Müenzner are some of the best in the biz?true virtuosos with their weapons—who can go from fast and furious to melodic and beautiful at the drop of a hat. The guitar work on this album almost has a “na na na boo boo, I am better than you” kind of feeling to it, with both Steffen and Christian taking turns proving their worth on the guitar. Solos can be just a few seconds or almost the entire song, as evident by “A Transcendental Serenade”; either way, it’s a treat to hear these guys go at it.

The guys in this band are great musicians on their own but together they make an unstoppable force in the world of tech death. If you are a fan, were a fan or have never been a fan of Obscura, this is the album for you. In my opinion, it can do no wrong and should be a prerequisite lesson for any younger bands trying to make a name for themselves in the tech metal movement. Everyone pull out a pen and paper and take notes, because this will certainly be on the test.

?Sound: Wow, what a sound. Obscura are an ironically prominent technical/progressive death metal band that are special for good reason… because they’re actually good. Although they are almost always compared to Necrophagist and its not hard to see why, there are a myriad of differences that set them apart.

Lyrics and Singing: Steffen Kummerer (a guy who was in a band called Hell-fart) has a fairly varied vocal range. On Omnivium, there are low guttural growls, Emperor-esque screams and chanted/layered clean vocals that appear during clean sections or seriously melodic bits. A good range indeed and they work flawlessly into the songs (and thank fudge, they got rid of the vocoder).

Impression: Obscura remind me a lot of Pestilence during ‘Spheres’ but with added Steve Vai/Cynic. Its a pretty immense release, although it might come off as more of a technical exercise rather than artistic expression (or in other words, we did it cuz we can, not because we have to) to people with a low opinion on technical metal. Even so, Omnivium is one of the most promising new releases of 2011.

In this album, Obscura have 10 great song for listen:

1. Septuagint 07:18
2. Vortex Omnivium 04:14
3. Ocean Gateways 05:56
4. Euclidean Elements 04:51
5. Prismal Dawn 06:20
6. Celestial Spheres 05:28
7. Velocity 06:04
8. A Transcendental Serenade 06:13
9. Aevum 07:51
10. Concerto 04:42 (Bonus Track)

All of  that, will change your live………………………….

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