At long last, German technical and progressive death metallers Obscura will be closing a four year gap since their last album Omnivium later this year. The group are wrapping up work on their yet to be titled fourth studio album, with studio time booked this April with frequent collaborator V. Santura at Dreamsound Studios. Their label Relapse Records are preparing for a late 2015 release. It’s finally happening, and not a moment too soon!
The delay in new material has been due in part to Obscura mastermind Steffen Kummerer (vocals, guitars) working with an entirely different lineup since the release of Omnivium in 2011:
“We are all pleased with the new material which pairs the songwriting, technicality and arrangements of our previous albums with the creative input of members Linus Klausenitzer [bass], Tom “Fountainhead” Geldschläger [guitar] and Sebastian Lanser [drums], while keeping our trademark prog riffing across the fusion and death metal landscape that makes Obscura sound unique. This album sees Obscura move a step further.”
While we have a few months wait for the new material to surface, those of you with patience or an adept technical skill can pass the time by poring over the 368 page Omnivium digital guitar tablature book that has just been released through Obscura’s official website. The digital book comes at a pay-what-you-like pricetag, though it comes with a suggested price of 10.00€. I’m sure you can get it for free, but if you’re able, be sure to throw in a few dollars to support the cause; tabbing out both lead and rhythm guitars for an entire album has got to be unbelievably tedious. No luck for bass players it seems, but the absence of a bass tablature book isn’t surprising given that the man who wrote and recorded the bass for Omnivium is no longer with the group. Oh well.
The rest of you, bone up while you can before Obscura drops some new music to study later this year through Relapse.
– JR