“In search of the triumph beyond obsidian euphoria.“
Fusing classic progressive rock with various forms of extreme metal is nothing new – the late 1980s onwards saw ever more metal artists beginning to experiment with the compositional complexity of 70s prog. The murkily defined corner of the metal world that broadly constitutes progressive black metal as a genre occupies a small, yet not insignificant niche within extreme metal. Ever since the early days of pioneers like Emperor and Enslaved, it has been quietly humming along, steadily turning out impressively diverse and innovative records from boundary-pushers like Ihsahn, Dødheimsgard, Sigh and Thy Catafalque.
Lately, the genre seems to be stronger than ever, and more determined to stake a claim in the wider metal underground. Tómarúm return three years after the release of their acclaimed debut album, hot on the heels of Prosthetic Records labelmates Dawn of Ouroboros’ excellent Bioluminescence. Decidedly more technical and with a more progressive bent than their Californian stablemates, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria sees the Atlanta, GA quintet distil technical death metal, old school melodic black metal and at times almost psychedelic atmosphere into a sprawling record spanning the full breadth of a rapidly crystallising modern progressive black metal sound.
This unabashedly modern identity is obvious right from the outset. From the very first riff, Tómarúm’s brand of extreme metal grabs with the realisation that it is in many ways closer to the technical, progressive death metal of the likes of more recent Obscura or core guitar/vocal duo Kyle Walburn and Brandon Iacovella’s spiritually tinged Lunar Chamber than the more atmospheric black metal sound on the band’s previous outing, a sound no doubt honed by stints touring with Dessiderium, Inferi and aforementioned Prosthetic Records stablemates Dawn of Ouroboros.
These influences are particularly noticeable in the interplay between guitars and drums; complemented by third guitarist Matthew Longerbeam, the string section on this record is overall much nimbler than on Tómarúm’s debut effort. Conjuring up walls of sound with everything from techy arpeggios to intricately syncopated melodic death metal style riffing and soaring post-black metal tremolos, apparent right from the outset on opener “In Search of the Triumph Beyond… (Obsidian Overture)”, the technical skill present in the constantly shapeshifting lines is dazzling. Tracks like “Shallow Ecstasy”, however, do not shy away from pure death metal pummelling, with follow-up “Blood Mirage” even leaning into Immolation-style dissonance. Drummer Chris Stropoli’s calculatedly dense mixture of double bass bursts on tracks like “Silver, Ashen Tears”, furious blast beats and delicate cymbal work serves as a foil to the turbocharged guitars, effortlessly providing a foundation to ground the other ingredients in Tómarúm’s complex cocktail. While often matching the hyperactive guitar patterns and expertly accentuating rhythmic intricacies, where necessary, however, Stropoli knows when to sit back and leave room.
Another of this record’s many strengths is the command of dynamics evident throughout. Linking neatly to the “Introspection I/II” tracks on Tómarúm’s debut, the interlude “Introspection III” pivots away from the dizzying technicality of the opening track to an interlude reminiscent of Damnation-era Opeth, replete with lush acoustic guitars and jazzy drums underpinned by Michael Sanders’ melodic bass. Standout track “Halycon Memory: Dreamscapes Across the Blue” boasts a gorgeous passage led by Iacovella’s contrabass, weaving around wonderfully delicate guitars before seamlessly transitioning back into twin solos. The vocals in particular contribute greatly to the record’s pacing and sense of dynamic control. With contributions listed from every band member, the album oscillates between furious lows, mids and black metal screams contrasted with layered clean vocals at times comparable to Cynic, admirably mirroring the struggles of the album concept’s protagonist.
One of the most noticeable aspects of Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is its overall mood, which, fittingly, never dips into the sometimes overworn melancholy of traditional black metal. It is overall surprisingly optimistic, in no small part due to the production. Best characterised as precise, like much of the other aspects of the album it is firmly rooted in technical death metal. Punchy drums with a relatively thin kick sound, snappy snare and wide panned cymbals cut right through the mix. Audible, rumbling bass allows the creative and always varied lines to lend a real weight to the often acrobatically wide range of the other strings and anchor the crisp, clearly articulated guitars throughout the album. Spaces in the mix are filled by a judicious yet unobtrusive use of warm background synthesisers and layered acoustic guitars to punctuate important points and add welcome texture. The attention to detail in the overdubs on the album, spanning 70s style Mellotron-adjacent patches, the organ opening “Shed This Erroneous Skin” through to modern pad synthesisers, is certainly a highlight. The guitars, however, generally lack the reverb drenched thickness which characterises a lot of modern black metal guitar production and gives it its characteristic aggressive intensity. Overall, the furious intensity of the record’s compositions is somewhat let down by a production style which is, by black metal standards, relatively thin, sometimes leaving the record feeling just slightly lacking in sheer heft. The production choices do amplify the album’s euphoric atmosphere, however, opting to allow the album’s many layers ample space to breathe and meld together to wash over the listener.
Finally, the undoubted album centrepiece that is the towering “The Final Pursuit of Light” pulls out all the stops. In case it wasn’t already clear from the “Obsidian Overture/Reprise” tracks bookending the record, this is a concept album which picks up the story introduced on the outfit’s debut outing. Both lyrically and musically, the quintet craft a self-reflective journey, a quest for transcendence and inner peace reflected in the poetic, introspective and raw lyrics. Reflecting the protagonist’s final, herculean effort for renewal, the penultimate epic melds vicious blasts and furious blackened diminished riffing before morphing into punky black’n’roll, technical near-breakdowns and a copious dose of post-black atmosphere. Dropping into a brief interlude, the Mellotron-style strings return and herald a build through everything Tómarúm has to give. Nowhere are the progressive leanings of this album more obvious, with the “Obsidian Overture” theme reappearing, before giving way to the questing, signal transmission-like synthesiser which opens the album. Closer “Becoming the Stone Icon (Obsidian Reprise)” takes this theme and, finally, blossoms with it into a defiant, triumphantly euphoric conclusion.
Beyond Obsidian Euphoria sees Tómarúm craft a record which builds both conceptually and musically on their already admirable debut album with remarkable success. Exceedingly well executed and with a more coherent identity than its predecessor, the result is a record which should deservedly be cited as a milestone in the continued evolution of modern progressive black metal. “PROGRESSIVE BLACKENED TRIUMPH”, proclaims Tómarúm’s artist biography. It’s hard to disagree.
8.5/10
Beyond Obsidian Euphoria releases through Prosthetic Records on the 4th April and can be pre-ordered here.