Much like my need to take the infrequent day off from work, I occasionally require a break from the never-ending storm that is extreme metal. When I require such dalliances with lighter fare, I generally choose prog-metal or something bumping shoulders with post-whatever. Established bands like Voyager, Dreadnought or Fair to Midland are my go-to’s, but recently I’ve been more attracted to the latest output from Wishfield, Avandra and Latitudes. Today, I’m trying something a little different. Hailing from Norway, Astrosaur get their foot in the door with their sophomore full-length Obscuroscope, an instrumental post/prog/jazz album that promises to satisfy my Chillaxoproxin™ fix.
Lo and behold, chill vibes abound on Obscuroscope. With a bass tone that’s decidedly meaty and fuzzy, guitars that wah and mweedle brightly across a vast cosmos of Pink Floyd-ian ambience, and propelled by a drum section that pulls fills and rhythms from any number of influences, the trio accomplishes their goal in entrancing and transporting me across the universe. I hear snippets of Godspeed You! Black Emperor progression in these long-form compositions, accompanied by a jazzy set of guitar solos and riffs that border on the atmospheric stoner-metal stylings of Sunnata, and even some atmospheric black metal reminiscent of Dreadnought.
Regardless of what you or I perceive in this realm of cosmic alchemy, I assure you the output is composed beautifully. Penultimate track “Supervoid” is an excellent example. At first it feels like 70s atmo-prog, but Astrosaur kick it up several notches in the back half with an oil-slick blast beat executed with a lightness defying the typical heft of such a technique. It effectively spikes my interest level in the music without disrupting the record’s character one bit. Closer “Homeworlds” also impresses with it’s immersive minimalism. Simple instrumentation creates a space-y environment in which the listener can drift contentedly for a while, and yet you barely notice the slow build occurring all the while. The pressure finally releases in the final third by way of a gorgeous trem-picked melody, and the subsequent spine-tingling effect is intense.
Thankfully, Astrosaur ensured that Obscuroscope doesn’t lull their entire audience to sleep before these spectacular late-album moments appear. “Karakoram II” is a swaggering piece of post-prog, taking driving licks and combining them with the kind of start-stop riffing prog has become known for in more recent years. Opener “Poyekhali” is similarly energetic, building around the lead guitar’s leads and doom-y chugs. “White Stone” is the most energetic of all, with an infectious guitar solo and tons of Pink Floyd-does-post-metal feel. These songs serve as jolts of quasi-psychedelic energy, spread out in just the right doses to keep this ship sailing briskly, but not too briskly, effectively balancing the record across its forty-eight-minute runtime.
Unfortunately, the record suffers from bloat. Most of this bloat is located in areas where Astrosaur fail to capitalize on the compelling ensemble they utilize everywhere else. “Elephant Island” is a gorgeous piece of space-faring Latitudes love (but with more bass), but the riffs that backs the melodies are not strong enough to feed a five-minute track. Opener “Poyekhali,” while strong in the first half, loses steam by way of excess repetition in the back half. “Karakoram II” is similarly bogged down, but the sheer number of ideas that are successfully applied there save it from dragging the album in any significant way. Still, it could use some extra trimming to make it even stronger.
The bottom line is that this album is a cool palette cleanser for those who grow weary of extreme metal every now and again. It’s not going to shake the foundations of the post-metal or prog-metal microcosms, but it should please almost anyone who listens to it. Astrosaur earned its rightful place in my listening rotation by way of it’s pleasant lightness, eclectic palette and easy-going attitude. Now begone, so I may float away into space with my Obscuroscope.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Pelagic Records
Websites: facebook.com/astrosaur | astrosaur.no
Releases Worldwide: September 27th, 2019
