It has been five years since the release of Obscura's universally acclaimed Omnivium album. Now the progressive metal masters return with their strongest and most dynamic release to date. The aptly named Akróasis (Greek for "hearing" or "listening") draws on all the various elements of Obscura's signature sound and combines those qualities into a cohesive and mind-blowing whole.
Today the first music video from Akróasis for the title track has been released. It can be viewed on the Relapse Records YouTube Channel HERE. Says Obscura founder and frontman Steffen Kummerer, "with Akroasis, Obscura produced their grand opus featuring eight songs of fluent arrangements, odd time rhythm patterns and the most high end production in the history of this band. Without question Akroasis became the heaviest and complex record we made up to this day. Our first music video since "Anticosmic Overload" (2009) features detailed shots of every instrument and the amazing musicianship of our new members."
Akróasis will be released February 5, 2016 via Relapse Records. The album will be available in CD, 2xLP and Digital download. Physical pre-orders for Akróasis are available HERE and digital pre-orders can be found HERE. A trailer for Akróasis can be seen HERE. Produced by the band and V. Santura (Triptykon, Pestilence), Akróasis is eight songs diverse enough to serve as a near-comprehensive introduction to all of extreme metal. Packed to the gills with virtuosic musicianship, compelling themes, and airtight songwriting, Akróasis will undoubtedly breathe new life into death metal, progressive metal and beyond.
Obscura will provide direct support in Europe for Death DTA on the "European Thoughts Pattern" tour. The tour kicks off March 24th in Strasbourg, France and runs through April 12th in Riga, Latvia.
**All Dates With Death DTA***
March 24 Strasbourg, FR La Laiterie
March 25 Lyon, FR CCOO Villeurbonne
March 26 Aarau, CH Kiff
March 27 Pordenone, IT Deposito Giordani
March 28 Cagliari, IT Cueva
March 29 Brescia, IT Circo Colony
March 30 Rome, IT Traffic
April 1 Athens, GR Fuzz Live Music Club
April 2 Thessaloniki, GR Principal Theater
April 3 Sofia, BU Mixtape 5
April 4 Bucharest, RO Events Hall
April 5 Belgrade, RS Dom Omladine
April 6 Budapest, HU Barba Negra Music Club
April 7 Brno, CZ Fleda
April 8 Kosice, SK Colloseum
April 9 Katowice, PL Mega Club
April 10 Wroclaw, PL Alibi
April 12 Riga, LV Melna Piektdiena
Info/Bio: Founded in 2002 by guitarist/vocalist Steffen Kummerer, German progressive death metal band Obscura caused a stir when they - out of nowhere - toured as support for the legendary Suffocation on the band's European tour in 2006 and independently released their debut album Retribution that same year. From its very beginnings, the band (named after Gorguts' inimitable 1993 full-length) demonstrated an uncanny ability for blending different forms of technical, cerebral metal into a coherent synthesis of death, thrash and black metal merged with progressive elements.
"Akróasis" Tracklisting:
1. Sermon of the Seven Suns
2. The Monist
3. Akróasis
4. Ten Sepiroth
5. Ode to the Sun
6. Fractal Dimension
7. Perpetual Infinity
8. Weltseele
9. Melos (Deluxe Vinyl Bonus Track)
10. The Origin of Primal Expression (CD Bonus Track)
