| CD REVIEW Obscura |
 |
|
Band: Obscura Obscura were formed in 2002 by Steffen Kummerer (g, v) and Jonas Baumgartl (d) (both known from Festering Saliva and Black Horizons). After a well-received debut album (Retribution, self-released in 2006) and a tour that very same year with Suffocation, the band underwent some line-up issues. In late 2007 and 2008, Steffen recruited some ‘interesting’ new members: ex-Necrophagist-members Hannes Grossmann (d) and Christian Münzner (g; also ex-Defeated Sanity / Majesty), and former Pestilence / Projekt Tabun-member Jeroen Paul Thesseling (b). This collaboration resulted in a splendid partnership, a professional band able to record history. …or at least a (small) part of history. Cosmogenesis stands for mostly fast and rhythmic, somewhat experimental and modern Death Metal. A few tempo-changes and slightly progressive intermezzos / solos show the technical craftsmanship of the four members, while the well-structured performance proves their ability to act as a group to penetrate the highest level of the (German) Death Metal regions. Some parts get softly caressed by the spheres of Thrash and Black Metal, which adds a certain grimness. ‘Progressive’ and ‘experimental’ have no futuristic or avant-garde definition in Obscura’s case, but a technical one. Some riffs, rhythms and / or solos exhale a (brilliant?) level of virtuosity, but without losing itself into über-mathematic silliness. Cosmogenesis is a timeless recommendation for fans of Necrophagist, Morbid Angel, Atheist, Definition Sane, Immolation, Malevolent Creation, Fleshcrawl, Death and Pestilence. 83/100 Ivan Tibos. |