Originally formed in 2015 in Bangladesh, blackened death metallers OROBAS relocated its darkly mysterious blackened scathe to Denmark. Inspired by long-worshipped classics such as VENOM and MAYHEM, with influence also cited as BEHERIT and BEHEMOTH, OROBAS have perfected the art of delivering tracks focused on the occult, mythology, and anti-religion in a blood-curdling fashion. With the debut EP, "Arise in Impurity" offering a deeply malevolent and menacing foundation, OROBAS forged a stylistic that has remained consistent throughout their offerings: haunting atmospheres, intense riffing, and raw vocals. The band harnessed the palpable vitality of its debut to produce an equally captivating release in its sophomore EP, "Resplendent Realms of Mahatala" in 2019, and have now commenced working on a their first full-length.

In anticipation of the (as yet) unnamed LP, I've buried myself in the debut, "Arise in Impurity", to get a sense of what could be expected, and in turn, have reviewed the most recent release, the single, "Upholding the Asuric Traditions". Firstly, OROBAS have this ability to capture something simultaneously beautiful and unnerving. The steady and prettied "Ode to Impurity (Intro)" offers a caress with some warped instrumentals that bleed into the heavy-handed throb of "The Ravana" with ceaseless riffs that undulate a wicked overcast throughout with elements of black, death, and speed entwined to then wrap back into a smooth passage to cleanse the palate. The fury of "Lord Ramesses" bludgeons with a lethal combination of well-thought time signature changes and insidious - albeit one-dimensional - vocals, spilling its blood into the murderous "Bad Blood Hunter" with a prominent low-end that backbones something wholly wicked.

There's a decent taste of OROBAS's concepts to savour within the debut - even if the production is a bit ropey and not as juicy as it deserves to be - and it carves a solid picture of a band with flare for interesting ideas in its instrumental magic. Fast forward to present day, and the line-up has changed since the band's inception, with Hephaestus remaining as the only original member. It's very apparent listening to "Upholding the Asuric Traditions" that there is much more synergy within OROBAS, and they're equipped to offer a more organic sound than their first offering, not least a stronger vocal ability at the helm, with more depth and richness to its projection. OROBAS are still bold with their concepts, but there's more finesse and fine-tuning to their execution, with a noticeably more polished finish to the production that elevates everything beautifully. The overall sound of "Upholding the Asuric Traditions" is by far more of a black metal leaning, with the incessant blasts carrying the weight of this hefty beast with ease throughout. The riffs have a greater ability to earworm and rouse with intrigue, with a solo that razors with its crispness, and the bellowed vocals hold weightier conviction in contrast to the band's earlier works.

OROBAS have previously covered VENOM's acclaimed "Black Metal" - a cut synonymous with the roots of black metal and speed - and by no means easy to master, let alone as a cover. Personally, the cover version wasn't strong enough to stand close enough to the original, predominantly based on the lack of vocal strength to accompany such an out-and-out metal classic. However, OROBAS tackled the carnage of MAYHEM's "Deathcrush" and struck a balance of enough originality to make it their own, without straying too far away from its mayhemic maelstrom of madness; it's a very welcome addition to the single to sit side-by-side with their own creation.

With an obvious cohesion in the new line-up and a much stronger set of pipes in the band's ammunition, OROBAS have the foundation for an exceptionally solid LP. If the full-length is anything like "Upholding the Asuric Traditions" with its brawny production and enthralling riffs, you're in for a real treat.