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Obscura - Omnivium



8.5 | 602 votes |
Release date: 29 March 2011
Style: Progressive death metal, Technical death metal

Owners:

581 have it
65 want it


01. Septuagint
02. Vortex Omnivium
03. Ocean Gateways
04. Euclidean Elements [feat. Tommy Talamanca]
05. Prismal Dawn
06. Celestial Spheres
07. Velocity [feat. Morean]
08. A Transcendental Serenade
09. Aevum
10. Concerto [Cacophony cover] [deluxe edition bonus]

Top 20 albums of 2011: 12

Additional info
This album is based on "On Nature's Connection to the Spirit World" by Friedrich Schelling.

Guest solo on "Euclidean Elements" by Tommy Talamanca ( Sadist).
Guest solo on "Velocity" by Morean ( Dark Fortress).

Recorded, mixed and mastered by V. Santura and Obscura between June and October 2010 at Woodshed Studios, Landshut, Germany.
Produced by Obscura and V. Santura.
Artwork and design by Orion Landau.
Band photography by Christian Weiss (www.weisschristian.com)

Guest review by
Mattybu
Rating:
9.0
Omnivium is the latest offering from technical death metal quartet Obscura, and while I admittedly am not extremely familiar with many bands in this genre, it's safe to say that this album is quite an impressive showcase of talent as well as a listenable and well put-together piece of music.

The album starts off with a very strong track, "Septuagint". The acoustic intro indicates that some attention is being paid to creating atmosphere, which is a good sign. It then seamlessly moves to an electric riff similar to the acoustic intro and then the technical insanity begins. The riffage has a good melody to it and a very fast speed, the drums are being pounded at lightning speed and the bass adds just another layer of depth to the music. Yet within the speed and intricacy of the music, it isn't too hard to follow and it all flows very nicely. The performances on the whole album are very impressive, and while there is often pure showcases of talent, the songs have coherent structure most of the time and it isn't just showing off. The guitar solos on songs like "Septuagint" and "Velocity" are simply amazing, and the technique being used is not easy or simple stuff. Jeroen Paul Thesseling's bass is great, and really adds depth and interest to almost every track. Hannes Grossman lays down super fast beats as the backdrop to the chaos at most times, although, there are slower parts in many of the songs. This was refreshing at times, and the album didn't just suffocate you from start to finish. The album found a good balance between showing off too much and a structured piece of music because there was a lot of pure talent in the spotlight but it didn't disrupt the progression of the songs.

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published 25.07.2011 | Comments (10)

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Comments: 140   Visited by: 1707 users
10.12.2012 - 19:15
Korah

Next album title from Obscura : Obscuragist! With Momo!?
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Don't cry for my English
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21.01.2013 - 05:21
Rating: 10
infernaldeath87

I love this album! Everything about it is just awesome!
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20.08.2013 - 14:40
Rating: 6
Kuroboshi

It's nowhere near Cosmogenesis. I've tried getting into it several times over these last two years, but it's just fad.
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27.07.2014 - 17:16
Zap
Guest
This is probably my favorite "technical death metal" album of all time. Too bad the band split up, I feel like they could have taken this even further. Hopefully Grossman puts out some mind-blowing stuff, though his solo debut only had two songs that come close to Omnivium. As for Obscura, I'm pretty pessimistic now that Muenzner, Thesseling, and Grossman quit. I don't want another Retribution, that album wasn't even in the same league as the other two.
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27.07.2014 - 17:21
Mattybu

Written by Zap on 27.07.2014 at 17:16

As for Obscura, I'm pretty pessimistic now that Muenzner, Thesseling, and Grossman quit.


Yeah, I don't know if it'll sound cynical saying this but with those 3 gone I'm going to consider Obscura pretty much dead (their next album will be their chance to prove me wrong and hopefully it does). But as long as those guys go on to do other things of similar quality level, then all is well.

And at least they released this jewel before disbanding
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27.07.2014 - 18:42
Zap
Guest
Written by Mattybu on 27.07.2014 at 17:21

Yeah, I don't know if it'll sound cynical saying this but with those 3 gone I'm going to consider Obscura pretty much dead (their next album will be their chance to prove me wrong and hopefully it does). But as long as those guys go on to do other things of similar quality level, then all is well.

Yeah, although none of their solo stuff came close to this album for me. Time will tell if Obscura still has something to offer, but I too considered them dead the day I saw the news.
Written by Mattybu on 27.07.2014 at 17:21

And at least they released this jewel before disbanding

True, but ever since they released Omnivium I had been looking forward to what would have come next, since it could have been even better. That excitement has died for sure
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27.07.2014 - 18:45
Rating: 8
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
They haven't disbanded - the remaining members aren't about to stop writing under the Obscura name. It's become quite the popular brand within the tech-death scene and I think they'll try to capitalize on it while they're still relevant. If their next album is a flop then people will probably give up on them, but if it's anywhere near the same quality as their last two then everyone forgets about the whole Grossmann/Muenzner thing.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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27.07.2014 - 18:56
Mattybu

Even before the Grossmann/Muenzner thing, JPT man, JPT. His bass on this album is insanely good.

In this day and age I don't think it'll be that hard to find capable musicians who can churn out some tech death but based on Grossmann's solo project, he was a big part of the of Obscura sound cause it sounds really similar, and JPT's irreplaceable bass playing is also part of why this album is so good. And Muenzner is a beast in his own right. So the magic may be gone.
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11.09.2014 - 00:21
Zap
Guest
Written by Troy Killjoy on 27.07.2014 at 18:45

They haven't disbanded - the remaining members aren't about to stop writing under the Obscura name.

I know, I didn't use the term split up correctly. I meant "Too bad half of the band left" instead of "too bad they split up"
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23.10.2014 - 21:26
Rating: 9
Frank Comstock

Fooking impressive Tech Death. One of the best I've heard in quite a while.
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"You travel within the glory of my memories, insect. I can feel your fear as you tread the endless expanse of my mind. Make yourself comfortable... before long I will decorate my home with your carcass."
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10.01.2015 - 15:01
Rating: 10
Sturmulus

I just discovered Obscura and I am blown away. Im sad to hear that half the band left but sometimes it only makes the band stronger. (unless your Metallica) anyway... The album Omnivium, in my opinion, is one of the best albums I have heard in a very long time. I cant wait to see what this band does in the future and hopefully the remaining band members dont muck it up.
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20.05.2015 - 15:33
Shinkirō
Account deleted
Love it
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28.07.2015 - 04:04
Rating: 9
Traezeus

For some reason I couldn't get into Obscura before this album and I didn't really care much for it when it released after a couple listens. I recently revisited Omnivium after appreciating Muenzner's "Beyond the Wall of Sleep" and Hannes Grossman's "The Radial Covenant" and I have to say I now enjoy Omnivium better than either of those albums. One of the best technical death metal albums I've had the pleasure of listening to.
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10.03.2017 - 15:07
Rating: 9
Leprocy_

Their best work.
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25.05.2017 - 19:17
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06.07.2018 - 05:31
Rating: 9
Traezeus

Still one of the best.
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13.10.2019 - 03:31
Rating: 10
SilverFox75

Simply put, the band's masterpiece.
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19.04.2020 - 21:40
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Written by Auntie Sahar on 01.07.2011 at 06:07

But I'm a slut for tech death.

I never knew that about you
----
Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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19.04.2020 - 22:19
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by RaduP on 19.04.2020 at 21:40

I never knew that about you

Cyberstalker, can't tell if boner or cardiac arrest
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I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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04.09.2022 - 22:01
Rating: 8
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Another superb effort from Obscura, with exceptional bass work, great drumming, great riffs, great songwriting, impressive solo's and well structured, all the usual stuff that makes this band great. I'm genuinely finding it a tough to make a decision over which album out of this and Cosmogenesis is best

But I feel the need to mention that crazy guitar solo on "Velocity" though
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