The raging German death metallers Obscura are about to unleash a malevolent storm of progressive and highly technical insanity entitled "Diluvium" quite soon and if you are on the lookout for frantic riffing and intense music, this one is for you. Obscura have been at it for fifteen years and have totally mastered the craft of writing complex songs with unpredictable arrangements that somehow manage to come across as memorable and engaging, which is quite strange given the fact that there are way more twists and turns to them than one can possibly count. For some reason it just works – it is as simple as that. Technical death metal often has a tendency to sound clinical and sterile as if devoid of life and passion, but this 11-track effort is something else entirely and is as challenging to listen to as it is captivating.

 

The musicianship is superb and the production is razor sharp, which should come as no surprise really, but the most rewarding thing about immersing oneself in compositions such as album opener "Clandestine Stars" (featuring brilliant vocal arrangements) or the crushing and utterly dark title track is the fact that they capture the imagination and are begging to be listened to again and again. It goes without saying that there are numerous interesting nuances and subtle details hidden underneath the aggressive and pulverizing attack organized up by Obscura that add another dimension to the song material. The mellow passages also work like a charm and infuse the tracks with variety and a slight hint of melancholy. The wonderfully diverse vocals also deserve praise as does Linus Klausenitzer’s dazzling and inventive bass playing that seems to function as the centre of gravity around which everything else moves and revolves.

"Diluvium" is undoubtedly one of the more fascinating, well-written, and cohesive records within the technical death metal genre that yours truly has had the pleasure of listening to for a long time. Do yourself a huge favor and check it out once it is released in July – you will not be disappointed if progressive metal gets you excited.

 

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