Obsidian Sky

If you like your metal polished and razor sharp with a good throaty vocal then the latest signing from newly formed Redglare Records could well be your thing. ‘Obsidian Sky’, a four piece twin guitar set-up, follows in the distinguished musical footsteps of fellow Americans ‘As I Lay Dying’ sharing a flowing and melodic style whilst displaying an impressive knack for riff building. The hard hitting ‘Parasites’ and the more versatile ‘Sirens’ (both tracks from their ‘Daydreams and Nightmares’ offering ) show Obsidian Sky’s penchant for taking a tight, speed-chugging, power-groove and introducing to it all manner of constantly evolving precision guitar licks. Their adept usage of the well placed time-change to smash the mix wide open and give some room for the music to breathe makes for compelling listening. A full length album is earmarked for early 2012 but in the meantime the shorter format ‘Daydreams and Nightmares’ gets its release on 7th June. - Planet-Loud.com

"With Obsidian Sky, it's more than just great music. These artists have brilliant songwriting skills, a dedicated fan base, and a solid understanding of the work it takes to be successful. We look forward to being a part of that success for Obsidian Sky." - Chee Kam - Puregrainaudio.com

Set in a post-apocalyptic background, “Catacombs” is the story of perseverance amidst trying times. With a galloping, upbeat feel, particularly from the fluidly melodic lead guitar work of Tim Grindle, “Catacombs” succeeds in telling a simple story of personal difficulties. While there is nothing progressive about “Catacombs,” including the unoriginal song structure, this isn’t really problematic because Obsidian Sky play the song in a very tight manner, with succinct production.

Grindle, who deserves mention again, is reminiscent of Unearth’s lead style with highly melodic riffs and proper technical proportions. This is vital, as far too many bands can throw in melodic power chords but lack the ability to change up the riff patterns without losing the hook. This balance is where the art lies, and Grindle possesses that artistic vigor for sure. In addition, vocalist Khalifa Al-Boinen comes across as a growler similar to Shadows Fall and Overcast’s Brian Fair, and it really works, marking a pleasant reminder of the bygone era of the grounbreaking Overcast. The breakdowns and gang vocals are also surprisingly good in “Catacombs,” and it is fairly rare to be surprised by anything in metalcore these days. Obsidian Sky are clearly adept at playing well and writing solid metal music.

It’s safe to say that Atlanta has a gem in its midst. “Catacombs” is a very solid song, and if the rest of their EP matches it, then there is another legit metalcore contender on the scene.

Review by Cody Plucker
Rating: 4 stars (out of 5) - Cody Plucker - Review You