Obliteration

Artist: 
Album Title: 
Black Death Horizon
Release Date: 
Monday, November 4, 2013
Review Type: 

Obliteration’s debut album Perpetual Decay, Tyrant Syndicate 2007, was probably my favourite Norwegian non-Black Metal album that very same year. Their second full length, Nekropsalms (label: Fysisk Format), was even awarded (in different mags, like Natt Og Dag), and voted as best album of the year (Osloprisen). It leaded to a tour in both Europe and North America, and the band could perform live on stage at different huge festivals. And now the quartet (vocalist / guitarist Sindre Solem, percussionist / drummer Kristian Valbo, guitar player Arlid Myren Torp, and bass player / singer Didrik Telle) returns with their third full length, which strengthens the self-developed approach and style courtesy of Obliteration.

Black Death Horizon lasts for forty two minutes and was recorded in the band’s home studio (in the city of Kolbotn, which houses acts like Aura Noir, Lamented Souls or, indeed, Darkthrone!). It isn’t that surprising to hear that the album goes on in the vein of both former releases, and again it’s an enormous step forward. This stuff thrills, this stuff kills, this stuff chills! Black Death Horizon is the logical successor of Perpetual Decay and Nekropsalms, for being a smashing tribute to the Old Skool. It is a massive, monumental, monolithic mixture of ferocious Doom-Death and gargantuan Death Metal, flavoured with elements from Nordic Black Metal, Barbaric Thrash and Death-laden Punk (not of the Hardcore-oriented or Thrash’n’Roll-alike kind, however!). Each single composition is an adventure, an ear-pleasing joy, with more depth than before, and at least a sound as nasty and dirty as before (‘dry as pulverised skulls’…). Probably it’s less grooving, and in general less blasting and thrashing than before, but the essence remains the same: to pay tribute to the most abyssal core of timeless Death G(l)ory. And again Obliteration succeed! Another top-product!

90/100