Rex Nihilo

"Rex Nihilo", the 2019 single published by Massachusetts metal band Obliviation, is a full on, nonstop thrashy death metal/deathcore assault just shy of 3 minutes long. The single shows a freshly refined side of the band after an initial attempt at finding their sound with the song "Extinction" (2018) while also being in the midst of trying to establish a core lineup of musicians. With the addition of a respective bassist, a new vocalist that is much more suited for extreme metal, and more songwriting & recording experience, Obliviation took a turn for the best.

The track starts off with thrashy riffing that is then joined in by a strike of the drums that quickly rings out before the drums & bass guitar come in full force. The thrashy riffing continues before coming to a halt to allow the bass to introduce the verse. The other instruments kick in after a couple measures, all playing a hybrid of death metal and a pinch of thrash metal. The vocals join in after a few measures. The vocalist belts out a blend of low growls, guttural low growls, and the kind of shriek-ish screams commonly heard in deathcore.

Upon the end of the verse, the guitars & bass hold onto a note while the drums lead everything into the next section, which is more or less a bridge. This section mainly relies on dissonant guitar riffing. There's a brief moment where the vocals aren't growly or shriek-ish, but do contain a lot of tension that is used to build up to growls and shrieks/screams. The vocals end up backing off later to give way for a guitar solo that is filled with arpeggios and sharp precision.

After the conclusion of the guitar solo comes the final section of "Rex Nihilo", a breakdown. A mix of chugs and dissonance are utilized by the guitarists for the breakdown, a characteristic commonly found in deathcore as well as death metal. Some dissonant lead guitar work is thrown in to complement the guttural low vocals and double bass drumming that also blast away with the rhythm guitar & bass guitar during the breakdown.

All in all, Obliviation's 2019 single, "Rex Nihilo", is pretty solid. The only gripe I have with it is that the drums have somewhat of an awkward entrance when they initially come in full force, but that issue quickly solved itself. The production is not too shabby for what it's worth. Maybe a little bit more bass guitar in the mix would've helped with the track's atmosphere, but it is what it is. I recommend that fans of Pathogenic and Reapercussion check out Obliviation if they haven't done so already.