Of all of the umbrella genres to feature a vast array of sub-genres, metal is surely by far the most infinitely fragmented, containing obscure microgenres so minuscule as to only feature a handful of exponents. All too often, the differences can be difficult to discern to all but the most obsessive of fans. To the casual observer, one metal album sounds pretty much like another, with only varying degrees of extremity to differentiate. In such a vast and complexly interwoven field, Obake genuinely stand out.
The four members have radically different backgrounds, spanning opera, metal and experimental music, and between them, they've worked alongside Mike Patton, Justin Broadrick, Bill Laswell and Merzbow. Drawing all of these elements together, Obake have conjured something special, unique and varied, not to mention (at least in parts) extremely heavy.
It begins with the crushing, doom-laden 'Human Genome Project',which is just so immensely dense and seeps from the speakers like molten larva, an unstoppable force from far beneath the surface. The vocals are a key element: hushed, whispered and menacing, they're mixed in such a way as to sit within the music yet at the same time standing separate, they reach the listener almost subliminally. These factors create a cold, detached feel, inhuman.
And then there's the sheer sonic force: 'Dog Star Ritual' takes things further down, a growling black hole made manifest in musical form and featuring a bass so dense, so distortion-drenched and overloading, it positively vibrates every molecule in your skull. One thing Obake don't lack is power, with a keen emphasis on bottom-end. But there's a glacial feel to the production, that only accentuates the bleakness and brutality of the contrasting bottom-end distortion and smooth, crystalline treble.
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The quieter moments, such as the introduction to 'The End of it All' hardly offer respite, and are sinister, unsettling and this paves the way for the queasy, dense rumble of bass-driven earthworks. They also demonstrate a capacity for expansive, dark atmospherics: 'Szechenyi' borders on the progressive - rock, not metal - and sees the band exploring unexpected territories, veering toward post-rock to startling effect. 'Letters to Ghosts' trickles into ambience, before 'Ponerology' resumes the guitar onslaught. It's metal at a crawl, and each crash of the snare drum resonates between the shuddering power chords and serpentine lead.
'Grandmother Spider' spins low, ominous drones to fade to the close of what is a remarkable, and often terrifying adventure.
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