With a decade and a half under their shields Viking death metal band Obscurity have lived up to their name when it comes to me knowing the band which really is unusual considering this is the bands seventh full length release in total. Combining Nordic mythology with one’s own personal identity is nothing new as bands all over the world have seen to pillage this fertile ground for lyrical ideas and concepts. Beaten by a couple of years by Amon Amarth for the debut full length Obscurity are the living breathing sonic apparition of Viking metal, their songs pump the body full of fire to set forth rousing visions of auditory warfare that starts with “Schicksal Der Götter” and a blazing riff torch that is steeped in that bravado like ethos, tuneful and emotive the song sets the scene for the oncoming death metal fortifications. Tons of double kick envelop the songs creating that sense of urgency but also unending power as the album swerves into “Naglfar” and an awesome beginning that pulls on the heartfelt battle strings, it thunders along and I mean thunders too, with skilful guitar work akin to Thyrfing but generally this is Amon Amarth with a much darker edgy touch to the riffing.
The sound is crisp, with the snare sounding like a whip across the back, it creates a definite edge to the songs, whereby each riff and hook is allowed to wallow in your head, stamp down its presence and leave a footprint of memory for future reference. This style of music relies on copious deluges of memorable riffs and without doubt this is a treasure trove of such delights, with the bass infested melodies of “Wodanheim” setting a billowing tapestry as the riff unfurls into a groove infected onslaught. Bravado riffing continues within the title track, a thematic salvo of heraldic heroics set against the pagan like metal beats and tempo. As I mentioned before this is a little darker overall than most Viking metal I’ve listened to, its riffs are layered in dread in places, that unerring menace of distant storms, creating an undercarriage of anticipation.
If I sat Amon Amarth albums alongside this bands similar offerings of the same period I am pretty certain the similarities would be tied like brothers in arms but where Obscurity win me over is the aggression and gutsy riffing alongside some interesting adornments that maintain an album that feels very familiar but is just as creative as any other Viking metal out there.
(7.5/10 Martin Harris)
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