Perhaps the most confusing thing about OBSIDIAN KEY's latest album is its name. A record entitled "Loud" would be expected to either actually be loud in some way, or at least be ironically quiet and chilled. The fact that the record in question conforms to neither of these things and instead sits somewhere in the middle is actually quite annoying, although there is a definite duality to the album that causes it to bounce between relaxing and heavy sections that could be described as a balance of these two expectations.

The best example of this schizophrenic personality lies in "The Key of Netherworld, Pt.1: Overture" and "The Key of Netherworld, Pt.2: Through the Darkness, For a New Hope". While the former shows some classical influence and is decidedly slower than its counterpart, the latter is a far heavier beast and flexes some larger muscles.

While the guitars are generally impressive and use some nice sweeps and riffs throughout the album, it has to be said that the vocals leave something to be desired, as they often sound tired and like Sonic V had left them until the end and couldn't really be bothered anymore. There is clearly some skill present too, which makes it that much more of a shame that the goods aren't delivered as they should be.

Other than that, the release is varied enough not to be boring, with the ten tracks covering a variety of styles and tempos. With evidence of influence from Metal, Classic Rock, and even Classical music, the result is a distilled form of the three containing some nice solos and sweeping riffs, although once again it's a shame that the album wasn't mixed differently as the end result sounds vaguely compressed, like the sound has been pushed through a cheese grater. IRON MAIDEN fans will likely rejoice in the sonic similarities present, and everyone else will undoubtedly find something else to enjoy.
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