ALBUM REVIEW: Obvurt – Triumph Beyond Adversity


 

The nut to crack that is Obvurt is a tough one.

On the one hand, the Quebec-based tech-death trio hold their own with bombastic, forceful drumming; chaotic, thrashy elements; and call-off-the-dogs brutal vocals. On the other hand, the majority of Triumph Beyond Adversity (Unique Leader Records) is mired in mediocrity, relying too much on formulaic tropes while falling prey to a surplus of empty space. A portion of the songs inexplicably feel out of place, though not due to the band’s inability. Instead, the record plays as the personification of a college student who boasts a 3.0 GPA while coasting through the four years without engaging in much of any extracurricular activity, content with being uncompromisingly normal.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Bonecarver – Carnage Funeral


 

Imagine being a child and your buddy informs you that an outfit known as Bonecarver has a new album titled Carnage Funeral on Unique Leader. What do you do with that information? That’s like the most metal collection of words ever assembled. Carnage Funeral? Bonecarver? What in the world is a Bonecarver and why does anyone need it? So many questions trying to keep up with a rushing imagination. 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Carrion Vael – Abhorrent Obsessions


 

For what it’s worth, there seems to be quite the shift in a certain corner of the Melodic Death Metal camp as bands are increasingly shying away from the vintage, glossy (as glossy as death metal can get) vocals in favor of more biting, explosive intensity that prioritizes grit over rudimentary formulae. 

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