Obscure - Darkness Must Prevail

Formed in 1988 (with a couple long breaks) Spain's Obscure is about to drop their first LP, entitled "Darkness Must Prevail". I went back and checked out their demos. They were definitely more trashy in the beginning but let's get to the new shit!

This LP starts off with 'Curse Of My Race'. And damn, it starts BIG! Huge, heavy, pounding OSDM. You know they aren't here to wank, just crush. Ribspreader, Paganizer, Revolting and the like come to mind. Just a wall of pummeling sound. A solid opening track. Doesn't let up at all. Power OSDM.

The title track follows. This song begins much like the prior. Big, heavy and crushing. So far, this LP is fit for OG fans, reminiscent of the old days, as well as those being exposed to OSDM. To put it plainly, this is good death metal. Not out to impress people with wanking, solos, tech time yada yada. Just to make your ears bleed.

'Sunk Into Oblivion' is a couple songs away. This track just pounds. Half the track is slow-mid paced DM. Rung out notes and relentless riffs. Then outta nowhere the speed picks up. Thrashing and blasting. This is a well written jam. Semi subdued. Subdued in the sense of the mid paced beginning becoming what's familiar in tis track.....then BAM in your face. The song continues to rip and blast for a bit until they return to the opening pounding to close it out.

'Blessing Of Malignancy' closes out the LP. If you weren't convinced these dudes lay down the old school, this track will force this into your brain. Slow - thrashy - blasty - mid paced. Riffs, sick guitar harmony, growls, hellish drums, solid low end and a quintessential OSDM section. No frills banging death metal. Until the double bass and riffs take it to an end.

Compared to the bangers on this album, there are a few songs that lack in intensity. But overall, a solid outing by Obscure. One that can be enjoyed by many fans of death metal.

Stand out tracks:
'Curse Of My Race'
'Darkness Must Prevail'
'Blessing Of Malignancy'

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1. Curse Of My Race
2. Darkness Must Prevail
3. After Life
4. End Destination
5. Sunk Into Oblivion
6. Through Self-Repulsion
7. Into Utter Darkness
8. Blessing Of Malignancy