German progressive tech death juggernauts Obscura are on tour celebrating the release of their newest album “A Sonication” with the “A Silver Linings” tour. With them on the tour are California death metal mammoths Skeletal Remains & French tech feathers Gorod.
The nice & intimate setting of Academy 2 makes sure that tonight’s show is packed out as Gorod hits the stage. There might be a tight fit up on that stage but the band are having a great time. Right from the first note smiles are on their faces as they play these great, groovy djent styles mixed with tech tracks.
Vocalist Julien Deyres’ range is great. Your standard screaming is here but his projection is great & cuts through. Even with some singing / spoken word sections which add texture to the band’s sound.
Gutiarsits Mathieu Pascal & Nicolas Alberny play a complex mash-up of insane tapping, 200mph up and down the fretboard styles riffs but can be clear enough to grab you quickly & get that headbanging within a few minutes.
Next up is currently one of my favourite bands, Skeletal Remains. Mixing the best of OSDM with the technical side of a Morbid Angel or Hate Eternal they guys have something amazing right now. In support of their newest album “Fragments of the Ageless” the band smashed straight into “Void of Despair”.
Even with some mic technical issues vocalist/guitarist Chris Monroy’s bellowing screams cut right through you. The band’s crazy fast riffing style boggles the mind but their ability to have such crazy riffing while keeping the track catchy translates so well over into the live setting.
Hearing them playing one of my favourites “Devouring Mortality” has this great opening groovy that makes you want to headbang you so hard your head snaps off & it hits so much harder seeing it live. When it comes to this style of death metal Skeletal Remains are unmatched & they need to be a household name. Let’s hope for a full UK tour at some point.
Now for the main event, Obscura takes the stage & the venue feels electric. “Forsaken” got the crowd in a frenzy straight away. This fast trashy tech death track is what the fans need to set things off nicely.
“Evenfall” from the band’s newest album gives the band a chance to showcase their new material, Opening with a bass section before the whole group comes in on a dime this great mid-song gives the fans a breather before the band takes it to the next level.
Vocalist/guitarist Steffen Kummerer’s performance is spectacular. His high raspy scream mixed with his guttural lows when smashing through “In Solitude” had me very impressed & hit very hard.
Witnessing one of the most technical performances I’ve seen from a band in “The Anticosmic Overload” was a sight to behold. Its fast-paced opening then its laid-back verse section before the band goes back into the chaos shows just how in sync the group are & how their abilities feel pretty unmatched.
Closing out the night with an encore of “Septuagint”, with this very classical-inspired acoustic opening before the band regrouped on stage one last time to blow the walls off the venue. Its anthemic vibe fills the room & leaves the fans on such a night note. Tonight has been a true lesson in the most elite of the tech death genre.
Review: Joseph Mitchell
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