NE OBLIVISCARIS - Urn
December 7, 2017, 7 years ago
(Season Of Mist)
This third full-length from Australia's Ne Obliviscaris is one definitely for the more adventurous heavy metaller. Containing five elongated tracks and one short instrumental, the band covers a hell of a lot of ground across the album and, indeed, within each of the tracks. Musically it mixes different styles of metal (death, black, melodic) with ethereal sections, including the surprising addition of violin. In fact, it is the inclusion of the abundance of violin that sets Ne Obliviscaris apart from the herd. Whether backing the rhythm section or taking the front seat (lead violin solos!), the strings definitely add a welcome uniqueness to the fray.
The vocals also play along with the musical duality, utilizing clean vox for the melodic sections and extreme utterings (throaty death roar and black cackle) for the heavy segments. Best track on offer is "Urn (Part 1)" which would fit perfectly on Enslaved's Below The Lights opus. Add an extra mark if you are one of those who worship at the altar of progressive extreme metal.
