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Wrought of Obsidian > At Long Last > Reviews
Wrought of Obsidian - At Long Last

A underrated gem! - 100%

deathmetalfreak169, December 15th, 2010

This year I was at a Cannibal Corpse show and one of the opening acts was a band called Devourment. After Devourment's set I managed to run into drummer Eric Park and somehow we both ended up discussing our passion for melodic death metal and power metal. Needless to say this is how I came to be introduced to this magnificent band, Wrought of Obsidian, whom Eric Park also drums for. Before I even begin this review, this band is nothing like Devourment and contains far more superior musicianship.

The album kicks off with the opener Blight, which for the first 15 seconds could fool the listener into thinking they're in for a typical modern death metal record. However as the riffs kick in we are instantly taken back to the days of Carcass, Malevolent Creation, and Disincarnate. The vocals are guttural but not in a sense of Devourment, Dying Fetus, or Six Feet Under. They are distinguishable and well pronounced and remind me quite a bit of Bryan Cegon of Disincarnate with a small hint of inspiration from Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth. The song undergoes massive twists and turns from old school death metal riffing, beautiful melodic harmonization, and brutal riffs that any slam/death fan would love. The lead work and solos are top notch and the production is solid. It's an overall clean sounding record but not overproduced to the point that it takes away from the aggression.

The record then moves on with songs like Bury it to the Hilt, Ides, and Bravest Hour which keep the overall death metal formula going but show some major power metal influence as well. This is evident with the use of fast melodic power chords and guitarist/vocalist Andrew Austin's soaring falsettos. Although they are used sparingly they add interesting character to the material without making it sound cheesy. Lyrically the record sticks to a theme that you would generally find in power metal as it focuses on battle, honor, and overcoming great turmoil for the most part.

What I really enjoy about this record is it has the perfect mix of brutality and melody and doesn't rely on clean vocals to execute the influence. Many of the riffs are fresh and memorable yet sound like they could have been written back when the Florida death metal scene was still coming to be. "At Long Last" keeps a nice pace at 46 minutes and doesn't leave you with the sense that anything was rushed or written as a filler. I have no complaints about this record and really look forward to hearing what this band will do in the future. It isn't often I am impressed with an American metal act but this won me over. If you haven't heard Wrought of Obsidian, I advise you to get this record. This is one of the best independent releases of the decade.