Obsidian
Clutter
•
March 9, 2015

So as it turns out during the week I wrote this, I had the distinct pleasure of reviewing two bands from Portugal. I could not have intentionally planned that, so I'll start off with that fun fact. The preceding statements apply to the following:
A self-described Djent/Progressive/Groove Metal band, CLUTTER have put together a monster conceptual album titled "Obsidian". Ringing with hints of bands like VOLUMES and PERIPHERY, their description is quite accurate in terms of the genre this band can be categorized. This album was released in January 2015 and tells the story of a courageous girl in a futuristic world of wastelands fallen under the rule of a dictatorship that has made slaves of its constituents.
The story ends on a down note, with the subject of the story, Nirtholiel (Nirth) being captured after breaking into a government building, sentenced to prison, and put into a sleep where she dreams her body is composed of stone, thus giving the inspiration for the "Obsidian" dream. However unfortunate for Nirth, the listener is given much better fortune with the level of instrumentational fortitude the band plays with throughout the album. The fact that it was self-produced is very impressive and it is evident that a lot of effort and man-hours were put into the creation of "Obsidian."
There is an element of experimentation that I noticed at times in the album. The rest of it is chock full of tempo changes, breakdowns, progressive riffs, palm muting, and all-around quality performances by the compliment of band members. I did also enjoy the smooth solos and mixture of mellow clean vocals with the screams and harshes.
With a sound comparable to the heaviness the album title implies, this album is captivating and presents a very new-wave style. I enjoyed the way that the songs flowed together one to the next which gave the entirety of the album the feel as if it were one song, but it was perfectly pieced together like a puzzle. It is extremely listenable and as CLUTTER's first full-length album, I am very pleased to have discovered this band. It is totally thinkable that this band will begin to make waves in the Djent community and if future productions live up to the bar that "Obsidian" has set, then they will have an easy road ahead of them.
8 / 10
Excellent

"Obsidian" Track-listing:
1. The Entrance Part I - The Obsidian Dream
2. The Entrance Part II - The Anguish and the Demons
3. The Dance
4. The Light...
5. The Orb
6. The Dread
7. The Journey Part I - The Hunt
8. The Journey Part II - The Gallows
9. The Journey Part III - The Mirror
10. The Enemy
11. The Exit
Clutter Lineup:
Gonçalo Crespo - Guitars/Producer
João Vendeirinho - Vocals
Miguel Pessanha - Guitars
Sérgio Ferreira - Drums
Diogo Barbosa - Guitars
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