I’m not exactly what you’d call an expert in the weird world of progressive metal, but I know for a fact that of all the bands that exist in the death metal quadrant of that style Obscura is one that reigns supreme. They’re an act that truly dominates the scene every time they put out a new record like how Sleep made all of the doom metal world do a triple take. With their upcoming mastery that is “Diluvium”, Obscura wraps up a four-album concept circle that likes of which couldn’t have a better end!

Hearing their last record of “Akroasis”, I knew that it was a great album for me to be introduced to Obscura with after hearing them being what’s essentially the gods of progressive death metal in the 21st century. In the last few months up to the release of “Diluvium”, there was the obvious hype that accompanies every new album, and I honestly felt indifferent simply because the first single didn’t really do it for me at first. Now that the entire monster that is “Diluvium” has been opened for me to dive right into and get lost in its depths, it’s easily the most entertaining and intriguing album of its kind that I’ve heard for a long time! Obscura constantly show left and right their true dominance over their style as the expected many twists and turns, glorious vocals, the untouchable talent behind the strings, drums that could crack open the very sky, and an undeniable quality of musicianship all allow “Diluvium” to culminate in a no less than a phenomenal album. It’s a start to finish trip for both longtime fans and newcomers as Obscura pull out all the stops for the end of this epic conceptual journey that can be revisited time and again to still have the same amount of thrilling instrumentation, pulsating lyricism, and devastating riffage that decimates every unworthy soul who strides right into the line of fire that “Diluvium” is constantly laying down.

There aren’t very many albums of technical or progressive styles that have been able to leave an impression on me, and “Diluvium” is definitely something that exceeded my expectations. Obscura take everything to new levels of awesomeness for this tremendous effort to make it one that I will definitely come crawling back to many more times upon its release.

“Diluvium” releases on July 13th via Relapse Records!

PRE-ORDER “Diluvium” via iTunes here.

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Diluvium” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Obscura on Facebook here.

FOLLOW Obscura on Twitter: @RealmofObscura