Dutch tech death metal Obsidian arrive with their second album, Point of Infinity. Hurling their sound of polyrhythms, thunderous grooves and roaring twisted death at audiences since their 2002 unveiling, Obsidian ascend the ranks of label land with an international deal following their Rusty Cage Records Emerging debut from 2007.
These nine songs feature a depth of basic tempo structures that aren’t all aimed at bullet train, mow you down impact, as Obsidian feel just at home making your jaw drop with a slower, doom riff such as “Tidal Waves” where drummer Melle Kramer and bassist Gerben van der Bij get a chance to prove their worth in juggling their time signatures. The follow-up “Radiating Light” opens with lighter clean/ acoustic work before building with the death roars of Robbe K, with the guitars lobbing an incessant echo riff while you gain some darker, Nevermore-ish clean interplay throughout this 5:53 cut.
Do not fear fans of speed death – “Illuminate” and “Incinerate” will meet your approval, both shuffling about those Meshuggah-ish chop time parts that appear impossible to replicate consistently out of the studio to the stage. Obsidian have the dual death and clean vocal deliveries, although guitarist Sjaak Kassies delivers the latter duties only on an as needed basis more for contrasting atmosphere than necessarily as a lead component of the band’s style.
Those who appreciate the music of Textures while also wanting the right element of progressive nuance without pandering to the metal core/ breakdown movement should revel in Obsidian’s music. When the dust settles, Point of Infinity will provide infinitely more enjoyment than a basic metal album because risk taking receives bigger rewards years down the line when people wish to seek a more intense, thought challenging experience.
(This content originally appeared on Blistering.com)