Obscura – Diluvium

The apex of death metal

Obscura returns to death metal in style with Diluvium, a spectacular effort and the bands fifth studio effort. This LP comes with new textures, melodies and rhythms that perpetuate death metal tropes in a new way. Although Obscura have only been going since 2009, they continue to make a huge impact on death metal.

The first thing to point out about every song on Diluvium is the spectacularly gloomy bass tones looming throughout. The bass steals the show at times as it is truly championed throughout Obscura’s discography. In addition to that, there is no shortage of epic riffage and speeding double bass pedals. No matter the track, Obscura takes elements from The Faceless, late Job for a Cowboy records and many more death metal giants to produce a wholly unique and, at the same time, familiar masterpiece.

“Clandestine Stars” begins the album with a few seconds of bombastic and rhythmic panning before dropping into a fast pace riff with incredible transition work on the drums. The whole track itself sounds like a descent into madness would, as it takes on many different shapes and forms throughout the three and a half minutes. Obscura are able to fit so much material in such little time all over Diluvium and “Clandestine Stars” is no exception.

“Emergent Evolution” and “Diluvium” also broode intensity through exceptional lead guitar and choral interludes. “Emergent Evolution” especially slows it down at its halfway point with a massively emotional solo section that you’d think Eric Clapton wrote if he was a death metal guitarist. “Diluvium” also breaks down in the middle of the track with beautiful guitar progressions masked by a deliciously thick bass overtone.

Diluvium also has grooves in spades. A huge spotlight shines on “Mortification of the Vulgar Sun,” which would produce as many headbanging sessions as it would dance contests at a concert venue. The grooviness and chunkiness off the main riffs excite the listener and produce some foot tapping moments.

“Ethereal Skies” follows “Mortification of the Vulgar Sun,” and may be the most comprehensive and entertaining song on the LP. An orchestra break in the middle surrounded by a rhythmic collision course, “Ethereal Skies” presents it all. Most impressively, the three and a half minute mark is a must-listen. There may be no description for how utterly precise every instrument hit is in that section of rhythmic mastery.

The longest track on the album is also one to watch out for. “An Epilogue to Infinity” creates moods of desperation all while delivering a front to back killer of a metal song. A slow moving beast with strong moments, this track is a glorious send off for the album as it creeps into the bonus track “A Last Farewell.”  

It is very difficult to find anything cookie-cutter about Diluvium. The album may be Obscura’s best to date, and also may be one of the best death metal albums of 2018 thus far. Every track reeks with instrumental skill, every song reeks with emotional drive and every note reeks with absolute mastery. Other death metal acts should step their game up, because Obscura is not going to be an easy act to top.