Obsidian makes technical metal which is very much in the vein of Meshuggah; on the opening track ‘Footprints’ (which can be downloaded at their site) we hear a mathematical riff accompanied with a nice dark, dragging vibe. The singer contributes a large part to this vibe with a characteristic, low and threatening voice; this is created by the long notes he sings.

 

Other influences which can be named are Textures and Scarve, but don’t think that Obsidian is a simple copy of the bands I named, because they distinguish themselves with their slower and heavier sound. They really managed to create an awesome sound and vibe of their own while this is only their debut album! Even more surprising to me was that they aren’t signed to a label yet; what a shame, because Obsidian proves with this CD and strong production that they belong to the international top of technical metal bands.

 

I was a bit disappointed with the second song, ‘Kobalt’, because of the boring opening riff which isn’t a real challenge for your ears. Fortunately, this is the only exception and all the other material really manages to keep this release very interesting, because Obsidian also shows it can fantastically incorporate melodies in their complex songs. This is best shown on the following and my favorite song ‘Dogmatic’; it starts with a slow and very melodic high guitar line which gives you the shivers and finishes with a very brutal and maddening riff which is repeated until it drives you insane. The next song severely holds this mood and isn’t loosened until the last notes of the CD sound through the speakers. I could go on and on, but you simply got to check it out for yourself; you will be impressed!