Metal Warfare - Irish Metal Forum

Metal Discussion => Metal Discussion => Topic started by: Ducky on November 20, 2024, 03:25:25 PM

Title: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Ducky on November 20, 2024, 03:25:25 PM
Newie from Kummerer and (hired) Co. incoming for 07/02/2025.

New track "Silver Linings" (https://open.spotify.com/track/2GwRUWL6Fz3YDduk4sQimH?si=AYNZxT9wQ5OXPJnc4C5n9A) sounds like a continuation of the sound on "A Valediction", minus Muenzner's flair. Most noteworthy thing for me is Robin Zeilhorst (formerly of Exvious) looks to be in on bass. Amazing player who dropped off my radar this last decade.

Video premiers at 16:00 today.

Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Trev on November 20, 2024, 06:16:20 PM
Zeilhorst played on Urn from Ne Obliviscaris, but other than that I can't remember him doing anything since Exivious finished up

Can't really make out who any of the rest are, but I'm sure in the next few days the names of these future ex-members will be confirmed
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Bürggermeister on November 20, 2024, 07:01:41 PM
He plays in a few Dutch groups, notably Our Oceans and Crown Compass, both feature other Exivious heads

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_ujSveAPh0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlpxdzrO3tU
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Ducky on November 20, 2024, 09:58:52 PM
Shit yeah I forgot about Our Oceans. Exivous' "fuck this metal stuff, where's my Telecaster" moment. Not entirely unlike Cynic's transition to Portal in ways.

Drummer is James Stewart; been playing with Decapitated for a few years, was Vader's drummer for a decade, been doing live work for Belphegor, and has appeared on the last few Gama Bomb releases as a session player.

No clue about the lad on guitar.

Song sounds decent but nothing new. Diminishing returns from Kummerer at this stage... at least the three lads might have a good band together when they inevitably exit :laugh:
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Anvil on November 21, 2024, 09:24:23 AM
The only thing I have ever heard from Obscura is A Valediction and I liked it, though not enough to buy the rest of their back catalogue.  Am I missing out?

 I'm loving the bass on that new track, though. 
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Trev on November 21, 2024, 10:11:22 AM
Gave the new song a listen, it's standard Obscura really, not a bad thing but you know what to expect with them

Are his vocals struggling a bit, or mixed lower down? Something sounds a bit off but maybe it's just listening through my crappy laptop speakers

Quote from: Anvil on November 21, 2024, 09:24:23 AMThe only thing I have ever heard from Obscura is A Valediction and I liked it, though not enough to buy the rest of their back catalogue.  Am I missing out?

 I'm loving the bass on that new track, though. 
Give Omnivium a listen, I reckon that's their best album
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Ducky on November 21, 2024, 01:08:27 PM
Quote from: Trev on November 21, 2024, 10:11:22 AMGave the new song a listen, it's standard Obscura really, not a bad thing but you know what to expect with them

Are his vocals struggling a bit, or mixed lower down? Something sounds a bit off but maybe it's just listening through my crappy laptop speakers

Quote from: Anvil on November 21, 2024, 09:24:23 AMThe only thing I have ever heard from Obscura is A Valediction and I liked it, though not enough to buy the rest of their back catalogue.  Am I missing out?

 I'm loving the bass on that new track, though. 
Give Omnivium a listen, I reckon that's their best album

I agree, the mix sounds a bit off. I've downloaded it from Spotify and played back through my good headphones and it sounds quite flat and lacking oomph. Played it back to back with their other stuff and that confirms (especially their older albums. The kicks have very little presence at all).
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Ducky on November 21, 2024, 02:21:19 PM
Quote from: Anvil on November 21, 2024, 09:24:23 AMThe only thing I have ever heard from Obscura is A Valediction and I liked it, though not enough to buy the rest of their back catalogue.  Am I missing out?

 I'm loving the bass on that new track, though. 

I agree with Trev - Omnivium is probably their best. Despite the fact that they've only had a stable line up for two of their albums (Omnivium being the second of those two, probably not coincidentally), they're pretty consistent in terms of quality. And the bass playing is always top tier.

Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Trev on November 22, 2024, 03:43:20 PM
Read an interview with Hannes Grossmann a while ago and he said that he wrote about 80% of Omnivium, and half of Cosmogenesis, guess that's why those two are still their standout albums!😂
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Petardo on November 23, 2024, 12:32:02 AM
The first album is decent enough. Cosmogenesis and Omnivium are absolute belters.

Arkoasis had great ideas but didn't have songs strong enough to carry them. I have a soft spot for Diluvium. The last three tracks on that are fucking gems.

I saw them supporting Cynic in Feb. They were seriously tight. Alex Webber from Exist on bass duties. A thumb player. Fucking savage.

That new track sounds a bit business as usual. The last album passed me by completely. I must revisit.

Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Ducky on November 23, 2024, 05:19:33 PM
Quote from: Trev on November 22, 2024, 03:43:20 PMRead an interview with Hannes Grossmann a while ago and he said that he wrote about 80% of Omnivium, and half of Cosmogenesis, guess that's why those two are still their standout albums!😂

Ha, yeah read that too! I remember when I first listened to "The Radial Covenant" and thinking "did he write the last two Obscura albums, because this is a straight continuation of them", and sure here we are :laugh:
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Anvil on January 08, 2025, 04:29:42 PM
Picked up Omnivium and really enjoyed it, so thank you Trev and Ducky.

Another track up on youtube.  Not as fussed on this one, but it has some cool basslines and widdly solos.

Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Petardo on January 13, 2025, 04:01:45 PM
It appears that Kummerer has stolen a lot of the new album from the last line up.

"Following last week's claims by EXIST's Alex Weber and Max Phelps that Kummerer allegedly "stole" musical ideas for the band's recent single, "Evenfall," ex-OBSCURA guitarist Christian Münzner has now joined in, accusing Kummerer of appropriating riffs he originally composed."

https://metaladdicts.com/another-former-obscura-member-accuses-band-leader-of-stealing-riffs/

It was fun while it lasted I guess.
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Trev on January 14, 2025, 10:13:24 AM
Christian Muenzer commented on his Facebook page that one of the reasons the last lineup left was that Steffen was pushing them to go into the studio but none of them were happy with the material they'd wrote

I guess the reason the new songs have been a bit underwhelming then is that they're essentially just the demos
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Ducky on February 07, 2025, 08:31:19 PM
Gave this a few gooes today and it's a bit of a snooze so far. Definitely into the realms (pun intended) of diminishing returns.

Stellar playing of course, but they're (well, Kummerer) is very much repeating himself. And the production is flat as fuck too.

Only thing memorable about it is Zeilhorst's bass.
Title: Re: Obscura - "A Sonication"
Post by: Thorn on February 07, 2025, 08:42:53 PM
Must give it a go later though I haven't been taken with them since Omnivium. The Nuclear Blast promo has it as 'advanced, elegant and refreshing' ,I mean seriously, we should be avoiding it for that alone.