A trio from the Trois-Rivieres, Outlying self-released "Oblivisci" back in November. They weren't without help, as this LP features many guest musicians for guitars, drumming, and whatever "gang vocals" could possibly be... Outlying plays Swedish-style melodic death metal, with some wiggle room for clean vocals from time to time. Outlying doesn't concern themselves with self-indulgent and over-technical playing, so the music off of "Oblivisci" is straightforward, melodic, and metal as ever. From a three-track suite to songs brimming with heartfelt messages, there's a bunch to unpack with the 55-minute LP "Oblivisci."

I can tell you one thing - this album has been in the works for a WHILE, as the first single "November" was released all the way back in 2023. The track, while opening calmly, certainly reminds me of the ever-so-prominent scene of Swedish death metal, but with the production cranked up a few notches. The vocals are screeched and a bit raspy - not the usual guttural tones present in death metal. The vocal delivery reminds me of some mathcore/grindcore a bit. Converge perhaps? Gridlink even? What I'm getting is that it's an interesting combination with the staple-sounding instruments. I don't mind it, but hopefully down the road I hear some different tones from lead vocalist Fred. A year later, the second single released. "Pitch-Black Serum" thrashes a bit more than the last track, getting dirty with the clunky bass presence and slamming drum blasts. The melodies shine through just fine, though. Again, I circle back to the vocalist - still not getting the choice of a higher register for melodeath. Lastly, another year later, "The Raven Is Gone" is released. This track is the album's opener, and serves as another fast-paced and loud effort from Outlying. The drumming gets pretty intense here... I thought we opposed ultra-technical buffoonery? The sounds of fireworks end off this batch of songs, and I'm still not sure about the package as a whole.

The album continues on with "Stigma." Sweden shines through with the track, with forward riffs and a bare-bones attitude. I wouldn't call it catchy, but it's got some accessible hooks for sure. The next song "Snow" is one hell of a 180° turn at the start, with twinkly sounds and a ballad-like approach to the clean vocals. Featuring in this song is Marilyn Ayotte of Chained By Illness, serving up some female power to clash the ear-piercing highs of yore. Segments of calm rear their welcomed heads as arpeggios and gentle drumming fill the space. This is Outlying's take on a metal ballad for sure. "Streets of Rats and Vultures" takes on a simpler groove and some punkish vibes that were successful in creating a fun melody. A bit too successful, as the acoustic-sounding guitar tone sounded straight out of another group. A straightforward track that doesn't deserve much thought other than how to dance to it. "Sentinel" made me chuckle, as the opening guitars kind of sounded like Journey, or the least metal band I can think of currently. No shade to them, I love "Wheel in the Sky." I don't want "Wheel in the Sky" right now, though. I want melodic death metal, and I'm not getting a whole lot of it here with the clean singing and the alternative feel. The metal comes back later in the song. "Impaired" is the last song before a suite, so it's closing the "regular" run of tracks. More sonic riffs and bombastic drums finish this portion of the album off.

Now onto a three-song suite that totals just under 14 minutes. "Dreamless Nights" includes "A Lullaby for the Insomniac," "From Velvet Skies," and "Walking out of Eden's Ashes." This series of songs lyrically deals with frontman Fred Dubeau's battle with addiction, which I'm thankful for. Part one is the most melodic of the bunch, with spacious guitars filling the space the murky bass creates. I heard a random electronic element in there somewhere too. Part two is mysterious and dark, leaning into black metal. Part three takes inspiration from brutal death metal, as overdrive kicks in for all band members to unleash a cathartic ending. More on black metal now...

From my personal descriptions of genres, this is melodic death metal instrumentation with black metal vocal techniques laid over it, and it's a tad unnerving. I feel it simply doesn't fit like the usual gutturals and growls that I'm accustomed to. That being said, it's a big portion of the album, and with some good playing at best, I'm not that impressed with Outlying.