From the Midwest United States, OBSCENE was formed in Indianapolis in 2016 and they went by the name BLOOD CHASM before changing names in 2017. The music is described as mid-west terror metal and their first release was an EP in 2017 titled Sermon to the Snake. In 2020, the band returned with the same line-up today for a LP called The Inhabitable Dark. The release was very well received for its variation from the mainstream Death metal coming out of the Midwest at the time. Today we take a look at the new full-length release From Dead Horizon to Dead Horizon, as the band looks to keep and build from the positive reviews and word of mouth from their live performances.

The album opens with "From Dead Horizon" which is a piano piece that is quite relaxing and paints a picturesque landscape as the piano is duetting with the sound of running water. Kind of like something you would listen to if you need help falling asleep. A slow, dark and tremorous opening to "I Shall Drink the Earth's Blood" puts to rest any worries that the album entitles complete relaxation. The guitars set the mood with a Black metal array of riffs along with crunchy metal gallops, while adding a cool solo. Brandon keeps a solid command over the drums following suit to the degree of aggression the music portrays. "Deathless Demigod" keeps the aggressiveness at a high level with an output of intensity from the entire group in a crushing metal track. With a lot to choose from, the opening riff following the drums to open up the track "Faith Through Pain" is one a had to go back and listen to again. The track itself including the vocals embodies an early AT THE GATES, mixing tempo, brutality, and melody perfectly.

The back end of the album seems to be out for pure destruction with the tracks like "Shrew's Nest" and "The Burrowing Hiss" These tracks are dominated by massive riffs and earth rumbling drums that should set their live shows ablaze. A mind-numbing pace creates insanity with the track "Children of the Static" as the double kick and rhythm riding cymbal hits are pieced together very well. The guitar on the album sounds huge, along with the killer variety of riffs, it has a forceful impact on all the songs. As a heavy metal band out for destruction and world domination, you can have blistering pace and brutality, but if you can't create some level of song structure, rhythm or levels to the music, chances are your tracks will not have the impact that you set out to achieve. "Open Grave of a Forgotten Past" is what I will use as an example to what I'm, at least trying to say. Just a well written piece of metal. The album finishes up with the second half to the opener, that is heavily melodic with the guitars and feels like the smoke or dust clouds that inhabit the surroundings after devastation has occurred.

This is a great album as all of the tracks on it have their own presence and come across as very hard hitting. The sound is quality and the work put forth in the production side of the process has paid off. I feel that if this album was written thirty years ago, people would still be listening to it and turning younger metalheads on to it. The next step would be seeing them take the stage and will be ready when they have new material available to be heard. Cheers on a great album guys.