Nadezda

Oubliette’s second demo begins with a brief intro track in which acoustic guitars gently convey a sense of dreary nostalgia and melancholy, preparing the listening for the mood and atmosphere of the following songs.

Once the second song has begun, the influences are immediately apparent. With riffs that would fit perfectly in any of the best Celestia songs, and vocals and a production that wouldn’t sound out of place on one of the old LLN recordings, Caertherin is clearly a fan of the classic French bands. As is the case with bands like Mortifera and Mutiilation, Oubliette’s music shifts subtly between ugly, ominous riffing, sweeping majestic passages and moments of intense melancholy and suffering, allowing all of these moods to intertwine, forming an emotional tapestry that, while not wholly original, is made to the highest of standards.

The epic melodies of the guitar are the main driving force behind this music, searing unapologetically through the mix, evoking a sense of fading grandeur, as if they should be uplifting but instead create an atmosphere of intense claustrophobia. As I mentioned earlier, the closest comparison I can make is to the style of melody that Celestia employ so well. If you’re familiar with songs such as ‘A Dying Out Ecstasy’ and ‘Spectra’, then imagine those tracks being covered by Mortifera and you’ll have a reasonable idea of Oubliette’s sound. Piercing, shrieked vocals reverberate in the background, intensifying the mood but never overpowering the guitars. In fact, the demo is mixed very nicely. The muffled drum machine provides a subtle pulse over which the music is constructed, and similarly the bass guitar adds depth to the overall sound rather than acting as an instrument in its own right. What the mix lacks in clarity it more than makes up for in atmosphere and depth of sound. The third song carries on in a similar style, contrasting tense, ominous riffs against grand soaring melodies, creating a hypnotic veil of sound that commands your attention for its entire length.

In comparison to the first Oubliette demo, the emotions here are heightened and intensified, and it feels more like a single body of work rather than a collection of songs. There is a consistency running through the music that didn’t seem so prominent on the first demo (although that self-titled demo is also fantastic, and well worth getting if you enjoy Nadezda). For any fans of the classic French bands mentioned near the beginning of this review, perhaps bands like Xasthur and Hateful Abandon, or just someone who is fed up of hearing endless Marduk clones and is seeking something with genuine emotion, Oubliette are highly recommended. If, however, you can’t accept the use of a drum machine in black metal, or you require an even semi-professional recording standard, then this will not appeal to you.