siLLy puPPy
OBSOLENCE (also stylized as ObsolencE) is an obscure metal band that comes from the eastern Polish city of Siedlce and has been around since 2014 but although still officially active has so far only released one single and this one EP titled INNER VOICE which came out in 2017.
This EP features five tracks at over 32 minutes of playing time and the band’s style is a mix of post-metal and atmospheric sludge metal along with a few death metal elements such as growly vocals and death-doom riffing. Progressive elements are also scattered throughout the mix. The music is on the slower side with a groove sort of like Tool or Incubus only with a lot more dynamics. The death metal moments remind me of Opeth’s early works.
Although the EP flows by at a very relaxed pace the moods shift from dreamy post-rock type passages with clean vocals to heavier death-doomy post-metal. All the tracks are well played but seem to revolve around the same basic idea making the EP a tad on the monotonous side however the pros are that the various tones and dynamics offer variations that are interesting.
On the positive side OBSOLENCE sounds a bit unique even though it often reminds me of some of the alternative and prog death metal bands of the 90s and the occasional reference to the death-doom sounds of Katatonia or similar bands. The band is pretty good at the mellower atmospheric parts but doesn’t deliver to my satisfaction with the death metal tidbits.
Overall this is a decent release that is somewhat unique however the music itself doesn’t really rise above average. It sort of just drifts along with some clean moments here and then some heavier there without really developing any particular song structures. While the band has all the sound effects down and the clear talent to pull it off at this point it lacks any sort of strong songwriting skills. Decent if you like deathened post-metal but nothing too overly exciting. Also i don’t find the vocalist has enough range to breathe life into the project.