Fleshvessel - Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded - review
Fleshvessel - Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded - review
Band
Fleshvessel Release date
December 12, 2025 Tracklist
01. Mental Myiasis02. Am
03. Cessation Fixation
04. It Lurched From A Chasm In The Sky
A review by
Roman Doez January 21, 2026
Avant-garde death metal has been a thing in some way or another for more than 30 years now, but it has never reached the same levels of popularity and creativity as its black metal counterpart. This is not to say that the genre lacks good albums; on the contrary, there have been plenty over the years, but the specific spark of zaniness that has touched the rest of avant-garde metal is exceedingly rare within its death metal subcategory.
This was one of my issues with Fleshvessel’s previous release, Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed. It’s a good album in its own right, and it has plenty of interesting and creative ideas, but it’s missing this atom of insanity to truly tie everything together. Thankfully, Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded distinguishes itself from its older sibling by fully embracing the weird, and that’s what makes it shine so bright.
In only four track, Obstinacy covers a wide range of styles and influences; from Timeghoul and Forgotten Silence to Tangerine Dream, Wagner and Diamanda Galás, from death metal and opera to progressive rock and samba, from the myth of Sisyphus to I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, there are so many wild ideas and references littered throughout Obstinacy that it’s hard to know what to pay attention to at times. Unlike other avant-garde metal projects that keep their different influences separated (see Přílišnost (Excess) for a recent example), Obstinacy throws everything at you at once within its long and intricate tracks, ranging from 8 to 16 minutes.
This works in its favor, as it makes the record as a whole feel very cohesive. The different styles and influences explored by Fleshvessel aren’t stuck in neat and tidy little sections; they all directly clash against each other, and make those four tracks that much more dynamic. This also amplifies the opera feel of the album; every piece, no matter how weird, seems to be fitting in the grander puzzle and story that Obstinacy is trying to tell.
But the one element that fully sells this mad opera is the vocals. Contrasting the more regular death metal vocals are what I can only describe as Dictius Te Necare meets King Diamond. It is definitely an acquired taste, and I’m not sure I’ve acquired it myself yet, but I nevertheless really like their inclusion, if only for the drop of eccentricity they add to an already very eclectic and bizarre album. They might make or break your experience with Obstinacy, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything else. Hannah Goldenstein also lends some lovely guest vocals, most prominently on “It Lurched From A Chasm In The Sky”, which fit in perfectly within the context of the album.
Troll Hart’s vocals may be the standout feature of Obstinacy, but the rest of the band is not to be ignored. Newcomer Colin MacAndrew leaves one hell of an impression on drums, effortlessly accompanying all the genre shifts, while Sakda Srikoetkhruen gifts us with some super tasty bass lines (especially on “Am”), and Alexander Torres’ riffs are still stuck in my mind. Gwyn Hoetzer’s woodwinds, as well as all the other additional instruments and musicians, all come together to support this mad musical journey and make Obstinacy feel truly complete and cohesive.
I can already tell that Obstinacy is one of those albums I will listen to on repeat, trying to unveil every single one of the little details it sprinkled throughout its runtime. What it accomplishes within only four tracks is marvelous. There is no real weak link here, each song takes you on a different zany odyssey, and while it all culminates with the grand “It Lurched From A Chasm In The Sky”, I think it’s “Am” that really takes the cake for me.
It may have been Waltari who first tried their hand at an insane death metal opera experience on Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony In Deep C, but it’s Fleshvessel who finally gave this crazy idea the treatment it deserves, and I can already tell you I’ll keep listening to Obstinacy: Sisyphean Dreams Unfolded for a long time.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written on 21.01.2026 by
Written on 21.01.2026 by
It's not good music if it doesn't give you a headache Comments
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The thing about great albums is that they make you listen to them over and over because they mysteriously draw you in and you feel the need to understand every little detal. This one came out really late for me to include it in my year-end list, and I was very much put off by the vocals at first. Its predecessor was definitely easier on the ears, while still progressive and avantgarde. But, as you say, this has taken the weirdness to the next level, and that weirdness has been making me go back to it more and more.
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Posts: 6695
"Dictius Te Necare meets King Diamond" is a good way of putting it. I found myself marveling at how anyone would have thought to choose that particular vocal style, and then at how much it actually worked and I was enjoying it. Bile Of Man Reborn was a killer start and Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed was excellent, but I think this is the most I have been impressed by Fleshvessel so far. I just wish this hadn't come out in a year with such amazing avant-garde releases; choosing from this, Přílišnost (Excess), Goldstar, and Toujours Humain was not easy, and I still feel bad for leaving out Mar Da Deriva and Uulliata Digir, and we didn't even fit Cryptic Aura or Uncommon Grounds into the running.
---- "Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader I'm the Agent of Steel.
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