Obsidian Mantra
Minds Led Astray
Independent
It`s been a while since I heard an album that conveys groove with new versions of death metal, which could be called post/experimental death metal (nowadays it`s harder to describe how new death metal sounds and is being played sometimes). Obsidian Mantra does not follow stereotypes in music - I think that 1 or 2 out of 10 albums that are released every day are those ones that require more effort from the listeners because of music structures. Minds Led Astray belongs to those more ambitious and brain stimulating records.
Songs of Obsidian Mantra are certainly more dissonant, progressive and very well crafted (Shield of Disbelief). Both guitarists (Kacper Kajzderski and Jan Grzesiak) often clash each other by simultaneously playing different guitar passages that give music certain depth, shape, and tempting disharmonies. The album is middle paced, even if guitarists do not very play fast, from time to time their drummer (Mateusz Witan) performs some blast beats against their slower tempos, however his play is much more about constructive drumming. It`s obvious for me that Minds Led Astray is not the album with simplest songs (you need to focus a bit on details and dimensions in their compositions). At the same time, Obsidian Mantra delivers songs that are not overdone technically – they are just richly structured and very well layered (The Demon-Haunted World). More death metal track of the album is Ghost Hunt (The Discoverie) while The First Disbeliever is more death and thrashy, consisting of extra guitar cacophony in third minute of the track. Circle Of Mourners has discordant riffs, but also groove and catchy rhythms, so, it`s quite contradictory song music-wise. Last track called Eternal Atonement goes with some guitar break-downs, eerie high pitched sounds, and as most ideas in this album, with dose of complexity and dreary moments. I do not think those two short interludes tracks were necessary to put them on the album, because Obsidian Conspiracy does not need keyboards to sounds atmospheric at times.
Their vocalist owns very solid growling vocals while most of the music is also very crushing, heavy, detailed, and everything is still quite entertaining musically. I am sure that more ambitious listeners will be engaged to strange and not always obvious musical arrangements that this band has to offer. Those guys are brutal, open minded, creative, they have an aesthetics in song-writing and natural consistency to surprise. As for me, Minds Led Astray (released in November of 2020) is one of better albums I have heard this year.
Songs of Obsidian Mantra are certainly more dissonant, progressive and very well crafted (Shield of Disbelief). Both guitarists (Kacper Kajzderski and Jan Grzesiak) often clash each other by simultaneously playing different guitar passages that give music certain depth, shape, and tempting disharmonies. The album is middle paced, even if guitarists do not very play fast, from time to time their drummer (Mateusz Witan) performs some blast beats against their slower tempos, however his play is much more about constructive drumming. It`s obvious for me that Minds Led Astray is not the album with simplest songs (you need to focus a bit on details and dimensions in their compositions). At the same time, Obsidian Mantra delivers songs that are not overdone technically – they are just richly structured and very well layered (The Demon-Haunted World). More death metal track of the album is Ghost Hunt (The Discoverie) while The First Disbeliever is more death and thrashy, consisting of extra guitar cacophony in third minute of the track. Circle Of Mourners has discordant riffs, but also groove and catchy rhythms, so, it`s quite contradictory song music-wise. Last track called Eternal Atonement goes with some guitar break-downs, eerie high pitched sounds, and as most ideas in this album, with dose of complexity and dreary moments. I do not think those two short interludes tracks were necessary to put them on the album, because Obsidian Conspiracy does not need keyboards to sounds atmospheric at times.
Their vocalist owns very solid growling vocals while most of the music is also very crushing, heavy, detailed, and everything is still quite entertaining musically. I am sure that more ambitious listeners will be engaged to strange and not always obvious musical arrangements that this band has to offer. Those guys are brutal, open minded, creative, they have an aesthetics in song-writing and natural consistency to surprise. As for me, Minds Led Astray (released in November of 2020) is one of better albums I have heard this year.
Tracklist:
1 Shield of Disbelief
2 The Demon-Haunted World
3 Ghost Hunt (The Discoverie)
4 False Spirituality
5 Interlude 1
6 The Orphans Bloodline
7 The First Disbeliever
8 Circle Of Mourners
9 Interlude 2
10 Eternal Atonement
1 Shield of Disbelief
2 The Demon-Haunted World
3 Ghost Hunt (The Discoverie)
4 False Spirituality
5 Interlude 1
6 The Orphans Bloodline
7 The First Disbeliever
8 Circle Of Mourners
9 Interlude 2
10 Eternal Atonement
Review by Slawek Migacz
Added: 08.05.2021
Added: 08.05.2021