Album Review: Crobot – Obsidian

A perfect blend of 90s metal and modern rock

Crobot — the Pennsylvania-based metal rockers everyone should be listening to — recently released its fifth studio album, complete with 11 hard-hitting songs for listeners to headbang in unison to. Beginning with the album’s title track, each subsequent song offers a fast and dirty ride through the band’s inner workings, offering up a sound explosion that’s as catchy as it is fun to listen to. Without a doubt, Obsidian demands attention and then some; each song is part of a more extensive opus that infuses 90s metal with a modern edge. 

From the album’s inception, each track blends flawlessly with the next, a perfect infusion of the band and its artistic vision. The frenzied (yet powerful) guitar riffs and gravelly but somehow polished vocals are never overpowered by any one instrument. This paves the way for a brilliantly balanced blend of teeth-gnashing lyrics and unshakable instrumentals that are equal parts punch and poignancy. 

There’s no denying Crobot’s talent, but more than that, the band—and album—are fun to listen to. Obsidian is primed to pull any listener from their midday slump but also blends metal with melody, relentless percussion, and the band’s full talent on display.

Even though the entire album offers an intense glimpse into a Crobot-induced metal frenzy, one track shows how multifaceted the band is: “Happiness.” It’s essentially the album’s single power ballad but is more than a little infused with 90s glam metal, albeit with a modern twist. “Happiness” allows the rest of the band to pull back so the vocals can shine through, each member working in perfect tandem to flex their collective metal muscles. 

Crobot leaves monotony in the dust and, once again, offers up something that perfectly reflects their musical influences and the style of playing they command mastery of. The entire album is fun yet unabating; each track infuses a powerhouse of energy with infectious guitar tracks, passionate vocals, and enough bass and percussion to turn new listeners into Crobot enthusiasts.