Review: Obscene ‘Agony & Wounds’

It’s a serene start that emanates from the speakers when the opening, three-and-a-half-minute track, The Cloverland Panopticon begins, which hides the merciless assault that the Indianapolis residents Obscene then proceed with over the rest of the album. And when I say it’s brutal, I mean it’s brutal from there on in.

The death metal four-piece have built upon their last release From Dead Horizon… To Dead Horizon and released eleven new tracks that are their densest, lengthiest, most challenging and most rewarding to date, showcasing the constant hard work that the band puts in. You only need to listen to songs like Breathe The Decay to see how the riffs from guitarist Mike Morgan are not only devastating but sublime in their execution. The solo towards the end feels like a tsunami of noise washing over you, it’s just ace!!!

As a band, Obscene have their roots firmly in their late ‘80s and early ‘90s death metal scene and with the earlier released single, The Reaper’s Blessing they served up a deliciously feisty affair of bruising drums from Brandon Howe, pounding bass from Roy Hayes, to go alongside the tortured vocal of Kyle Shaw, that complement the intense riffing skills of Morgan. It’s a constant theme across the album, with Death’s Denial being another cracking song, with a few tempo changes, but maintaining their trademark ferocious sound.

with its ear-splitting riffs and vigorous drums, it truly delivers on every level…

The band have broadened their scope somewhat on this third album making it by far their most accomplished work that will leave its mark on the death metal scene. Written In Blood And Covered In Flies has that old school primal feel to it, whilst simultaneously feeling fresh and new, as they pack so much into each song. They’re also well structured, and although the pace is relentless, the composition is excellent, with Oceans Of Rot being my favourite cut on the album.

This long-player will probably be described as feral, violent or downright miserable, but isn’t that what death metal is meant to be all about? With songs like Rotting Behind The Madness and the superb Dressed In Corpses, this is a must listen for fans of the genre, and with its ear-splitting riffs and vigorous drums, it truly delivers on every level. The title track Agony And Wounds is left to the very end, picking up the blood-stained baton from the previous ten tracks and with great subtlety, further cementing their place in the growing field of bands in this genre.

Label: Nameless Grave Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: Matthew Williams