Style: Progressive Death Metal, Groove Metal (Harsh vocals)
Review by: Mike
Country: Poland
Release date: November 27, 2020
Obsidian Mantra’s second full length album is a mid-paced, ominous death metal album with hints of prog and groove. This album is about setting an eerie mood and then sucking you in with a heavy riff that keeps your head moving. It’s a shame this album didn’t come out a couple of months earlier as it would have made an excellent addition to spooktober this past season.
There are no keyboards here so the haunting element comes from a dual guitar attack that provides dissonant textures alongside the riffs. This is introduced almost immediately in the opener, “Shield Of Disbelief”. The verse is drenched in a creepy atmosphere with whispered vocals and the bridge about 3 minutes in has a chilling guitar part that rings out above the almost doomy riff. “The Orphans Bloodline” has a wonderfully ominous riff about halfway through the track that would be right at home on Opeth’s Ghost Reveries. The album closer, “Eternal Atonement”, is also a good example of the album’s atmosphere. Sections in the beginning, middle, and end of this track are chock full of a dreadful aura that work really well to break up an otherwise intense song.
The progressive elements primarily come in the form of rhythmic dynamics. The drumming is fantastic throughout and keeps you on your toes. When the intensity increases the drums tend to focus on double bass so blast beat enthusiasts should look elsewhere, even though they do pop up a couple of times. The groove aspect sneaks in a few times with more tribal beats that are a great change of pace. The groove at 2:30 in “The Demon-Haunted World” reminds me a lot of Pantera’s “13 Steps To Nowhere” before erupting into one of the few blast beat sections. “Circle Of Mourners” has some quick yet subtle cadence changes that really heighten what is probably Minds Led Astray’s most intense track.
The album’s production is excellent and is a significant improvement over their previous effort. Where their 2017 album Existential Gravity sounded decent for a debut, Minds Led Astry sounds like a seasoned/polished act. The mix is executed well, allowing the atmosphere to compliment the heavy sections without compromising the effectiveness of either. The harsh vocals are clear but powerful and the drums blend well with the rest of the band. I never really noticed the bass without making a conscious effort but I’m assuming that’s due to a tendency to double what the guitars are doing. The guitar tone is excellent and has a timeless quality to it; I can imagine listening back on this album in 15 years and it still sounding fresh.
Obsidian Mantra has a broad sound that will appeal to a diverse group of metal-lovers. I think if they got on a tour with another Poland-based band like Decapitated or Behemoth they could build a decent following fairly quickly. Minds Led Astray is a very good album and I would recommend that anyone who enjoys a spooky ambience with their death metal check it out.
Recommended tracks: Shield Of Disbelief, False Spirituality, The First Disbeliever
Recommended for fans of: Gojira, Novembers Doom, Hath
Final verdict: 8/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook
Label: Independent
Obsidian Mantra is:
– Kacper Kajzderski (guitar, bass, vocals)
– Jan Grzesiak (guitar)
– Mateusz Witan (drums)
0 Comments