Ne Obliviscaris have returned with their 3rd full length release, and the Australian 5 piece have really surpassed themselves with this one. The bands name officially translates from Latin to ‘forget not’, and no one will surely forget them when they are releasing absolute behemoths of this magnitude and stature.

Tim Charles and Xenoyr work in perfect unison once more, Tim providing the clean vocals, which are then bolstered with the utterly, guttural, demonic growls of Xenoyr, with each other’s independent style seeming to encourage and tease the other to step it up even more. The band is completed with Matt Klavins and Benjamin Baret on guitar, and Daniel Presland on the drums. The band also enrolled Robin Zielhorst to enter the fray as the session bassist for this release, and most will know him as former member of Cynic, Exivious and Our oceans.

Ne Obliviscaris were in for a tough task by having to follow the magnificent beast that is ‘Citadel’, but the band took 3 years to carefully construct and build this newest monster, and the result is outstanding.

‘Urn’ is multi layered, and is complex in its delivery, with so much technicality and scenic descants, that it demands your attention from the outset.

Tim Charles not only lends his intricate vocal range to the release, but he injects some absolute splendour into the precise blast beats and pummelling sophistication, with the majesty and clinical polish of the violin. The purity of the violin in the framework of the contiguous vortex is absolutely striking and quite poignant.

‘Urn’ opens the listener up with a dual display of offerings. It is split into 2 chapters – ‘Saturnine Spheres’ and ‘Ascent Of Burning Moths’. The opening is quite meek and mild in the beginning, and starts off quaint with a building crescendo which leads into massive blast beats and fast picked fret work. Charles is the first to put his head above the parapet, and is closely followed by Xenoyr’s deep growling harmonics. As well as the dual vocal assault, we hear inserts of rousing choral vocals. Part two takes the listener on a different journey altogether and is almost seen upon as an outro, and is built purely around a beautiful serenading acoustic guitar and violin construction. The rest of the album continues in the same vain and they continue to pummel the listener from start to finish.

Ne Obliviscaris take us on a journey which is almost like no other, by the end of the crusade, you will feel battered and broken, but in the best way possible, and you will definitely be reaching for the repeat button very time soon, if not immediately.

(8/10 Phil Pountney) 

https://www.facebook.com/NeObliviscarisBand

https://neobliviscarissom.bandcamp.com/album/urn