Ne Obliviscaris translates to “lest we forget”, which in many ways is apt considering that they largely disappeared off the radar following one well received demo way back in the mists of time that was 2007. Now, after five years in the wilderness, the Australian progressive black metallers serve a timely reminder of their existence with their first full length album. Expectation on this is very high considering the reverence in which 2007’s ‘The Aurora Veil’ is held, so does it stand up to scrutiny?
Not having heard ‘The Aurora Veil’, which contained earlier versions of three of the tracks included here, before this, initially I was staggered by the pretentiousness of the titles and concerned that this does not often bode well for the material within. It would hardly be fair though to base my judgement purely on the titles alone, and so with some trepidation, I threw myself into the ‘Tapestry of the Starless Abstract’ fully prepared for disappointment. Within the first few minutes several things are evident. Firstly, that there was undoubtedly some truth to the hype that surrounded the demo, and secondly, that these guys have a quite remarkable musical talent between them. After being hit with the initial wall of modern superbly produced black metal, further more nuanced segments really drive home the eclectic nature of this band. Through ‘Xenoflux’ and ‘Of the Leper Butterflies’, influences of Opeth, Enslaved and Emperor are apparent, in the structure and the riffing, with the twin vocals used to good effect as the clean vocals of Tim Charles are used sparingly and with the bigger picture in mind, and this compliments Xenoyr’s accomplished harsh vocal in a way that benefits both.
Whilst musically it is beautifully intricate, it does suffer on the accessibility front as a result. This is not music that you can just slip into, and as a result this is better listened to as an album than if you were suddenly thrust in to the mix as a track appears at random on your player, which for the most part is a lost cause. It’s challenging for the right reasons though, and you really do feel whilst listening that several years of work has gone into this. Amidst the technical riffing and jazzy breaks, Ne Obliviscaris manage to incorporate the influence of almost as many styles as you care to remember, from black metal to jazz and even a dash of metalcore, and somehow, almost inconceivably they manage to make it coherent.
As a technical demonstration of ability, ‘Portal of I’ is nothing short of outstanding. The musicianship on display is absolutely first rate, with particular note to be paid to Daniel Presland’s drumming which is just staggeringly good at times, and the moody violin of Tim Charles which really adds an extra level of class to what is already a very classy album. As brilliant as it clearly is on a technical level though, I never felt like I managed to really connect with the music, and as much as I clearly appreciate it, I couldn’t say that I actually enjoyed it. I’ve spent weeks trying to pinpoint why this is the case, but I’m struggling to come up with a definitive answer. It is perhaps a little bit too clever for its own good at times, with the music so impenetrably technical that you fail to really engage with it. Also at 72 mins in duration, you certainly get value for money, but it does feel like a real slog by the end, almost an achievement in itself in finishing it. ‘Portal of I’ is an excellent if ultimately frustrating album that I would absolutely recommend checking out for the musicianship alone, and if you are able to connect with it on a deeper level, it will absolutely blow you away. I’m still waiting for the epiphany.
Rating: (7.5/10 – Lee Kimber)
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