OBSEQUIAE – Aria of Vernal Tombs

Obsequiae – Aria of Vernal Tombs (2015, 20 Buck Spin)

Released in June this year, the second album of Obsequiae, Aria of Vernal Tombs, is a rich metal album that blends medieval music without being folk, viking, or out there too much. The parallel with Ophtalamia and early Ulver albums is quite obvious for a black metal fan. But for the common metal enthusiast, Obsequiae is a different offering in the sounds and blend of music and textures.

With the screams that reminds of black metal and the melodic compositions of the medieval music it is an album that is easy to get into. In fact, the quality of the production helps the melodic black metal to actually be more accessible while staying really quiet. The eerie atmosphere that the artwork announces of cemetery ruins is reflected in the music and has something really clean and polished.

Well, if it was not for the screams, the music would be a bit too calm for the author of those lines. This is a good record and much like Tribulation’s recent crowd pleaser it could connect with many music lovers at once and even the most stubborn.

7.8