The Pitch: Galician occult extreme metallers OBSKKVLT fuse progressive death and groove metal on their killer new album out via Nooirax Producciones. FFO: Dark Helm, Target, Meshuggah
What I Like: Obskkvlt is another one of them blender bands. Basically toss in Meshuggah, Lamb of God, maybe a touch of Fear Factory and hit "puree." I'm particularly intrigued by "Onomaturge" and "Demons," which were what ultimately sold me on a review. These tracks deliver an intense level of both technicality and general fury, as well as some variety in terms of which influences come forwards at any given moment. The pummeling djent riffs of the album's opening are straight out of Chaosphere, but further along we're also treated to some groovy Sacrament vibes. And across the board, the incredible drumming of Nicholas Barker (Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Brujeria, LockUp) is a clear standout. As stated by Nick, "the music of Obskkvlt is some of the most technically challenging I've ever had to play and I'm very happy I got to put my own stamp on such an brilliant record."
Critiques: The more overt groove metal portions aren't quite doing it for me, especially when the vocals hit maximum Phil Anselmo yowl on tracks like "Faith" and "Lux." The first two tracks just feel much more balanced, aggressive, and interesting.
The Verdict: Blackarhats is a bit uneven in its quality, but Obskkvult leave me intrigued nonetheless. The high points on this album hint at something far greater than anything we've heard so far, and I'll be interested to see what direction they pursue in the future. At bare mininum, you should listen to "Onomaturge" to see what I mean.
Flight's Fav's: Onomaturge, Demons, Spirit Animal.
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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