Transcending Obscurity Records

Eremit – Carrier of Weight Review

By Grymm on February 26, 2019 in 2019, Doom Metal, German Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Transcending Obscurity, Doom Metal, Sludge, 50 comments

“First impressions, man. For all the hyperbole and word-saladry people spin about them, they do serve their purpose, regardless if they’re a fully accurate summation of whatever it is they’re representing. Since this is a metal blog and you, dear reader, aren’t here for dating advice, political commentary, or anything else that you couldn’t find in abundant supply over at Facebook, you can correctly guess I’m about to discuss a debut. German then-trio Eremit are plunging their swords into the Earth, hoping to stake their claim as new heroes of all things slow and sludgy with Carrier of Weight, bombarding you with all the glory and power that three guys can possibly pack into three songs… totaling around 68 minutes.” Eremit the Bog.

Master – Vindictive Miscreant Review

By Kenstrosity on December 6, 2018 in 2018, Czech Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Transcending Obscurity, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 70 comments

“Take a minute to appreciate this album artwork. Not only is it an excellent demonstration of basic design principles, composition and color theory, it also clearly establishes the genre of its artist. In this case, the artist is Master and the genre is death/thrash. Master have been active since 1983 with minimal interruptions and a long roster of ex-drummers and ex-guitarists. Having finally settled on a solid lineup in 2003, Master soldiered on with few changes made to their thrashy death sound. With fourteenth installment Vindictive Miscreant, Master aim to prove they’re just as vital as they were in 1983.” Who’s your Master?

Lifelost – Dialogues From Beyond Review

By Cherd on October 30, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Reviews, Spanish Metal, Transcending Obscurity, Black Metal, 48 comments

“I was settling into my windowless, poorly ventilated n00b office when I heard voices in the hall. Steel Druhm was asking for a review status, and words formed in an iron throat answered, ‘I’m watching a Vampire Diaries marathon until Halloween. Give it to a n00b.'” Exploitation is the gift we give n00bkind.

Heads for the Dead – Serpent’s Curse Review

By Ferrous Beuller on September 29, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Reviews, Swedish Metal, Transcending Obscurity, Death Metal, 68 comments

“We all know how powerful music can be, but as I meander through another twist of this mortal coil, I find myself pondering its capacity to conjure times gone by. The same way memories are summoned by the senses, certain contortions of distortion take me right back. Heads for the Dead — a supergroup comprised of members of Wombbath, Henry Kane, and Revel in Flesh; amongst others — transport me to a time when I was willing to skin knuckles over my favorite bands; a time when death metal and beer were everything and I would arrogantly inform anyone, whether they were willing to listen or not.” Back to the days of trvness and posers.

P.H.O.B.O.S. – Phlogiston Catharsis Review

By Master of Muppets on September 7, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Doom Metal, French Metal, Industrial Metal, Reviews, Transcending Obscurity, Black Metal, Doom Metal, Industrial Metal, 46 comments

“If there’s any country you can trust to surrender untold riches ov blackened gold after relatively little investigative prodding, it’s France. Harboring such harbingers of box-breaching blackness as Alcest, Deathspell Omega, and Blut Aus Nord, the French black metal scene is very much alive and mentally unwell, and in France Muppet trusts. Muppet also trusts in Transcending Obscurity Records to the extent that a French black metal act appearing on their roster would normally be the epitome of Master-bait music.” Stop touching your promo.

Lurk – Fringe Review

By Master of Muppets on August 20, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Transcending Obscurity, Death Metal, Doom Metal, Sludge Metal, 55 comments

“Hailing from this hallowed homeland of haunted hopelessness and hunting for a home in your heart are Lurk, a four-piece sludge-doom act who really know how to pick an album cover. Fringe is the band’s third full-length and, as you can probably guess, there will be no happiness here, but that’s not always a bad thing, is it?” No joy, no love in Finland.

Sathanas – Necrohymns Review

By Mark Z. on July 20, 2018 in 2018, American Metal, Black Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Transcending Obscurity, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 114 comments

“My middle school biology teacher once said, ‘Once you stop growing, you literally start dying.’ His morbid sentiment was, of course, referring to one’s physical body, but in retrospect, I’ve adopted a more philosophical interpretation of that statement. In order to beat spiritual death, you need to continue growing, and that means continually pushing yourself. At first glance, this seems exactly the ethos Sathanas live by.” D.I.E. (Death in effect).

Gaerea – Unsettling Whispers Review

By Master of Muppets on June 29, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Portuguese Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Sludge Metal, Transcending Obscurity, Atmospheric Black Metal, Black Metal, Sludge Metal, 284 comments

“A black metal Transcending Obscurity release with monochrome artwork: who could have ever foreseen this one falling into my velvety grasp? Portugal’s Gaerea certainly put their Muppet-est foot forward when casting Unsettling Whispers into the Angry Metal Promo Sump, and yet I was wary. Black metal is the best metal, ov course, but it’s also everywhere and lately sounding too similar to itself. Sure, a few vague details got my attention, but I’m a poseur and all the Muppet love in the world can’t make an album innovative or objectively meritorious; did I perhaps build my hopes too high only to find yet another band trying to be either Ulcerate or Agalloch?” Black metal art.

Sadistik Forest – Morbid Majesties Review

By Ferrous Beuller on June 10, 2018 in 2018, Death Metal, Finnish Metal, Reviews, Transcending Obscurity, Death Metal, 64 comments

“Whenever I spot “Finland” lurking at the end of a promo label, I can always rest assured that a brawl is surely brewing, and Sadistik Forest are certainly pugilists to the core, skinning knuckles with their riff-centric death metal, despite their name sounding like every black metal band ever. Three albums in and the Finns’ combination of thrashing rhythms and deathly destruction continues to transcend their obvious OSDM tag, delivering a deceptively genre-fluid assault.” Riffs, man.

Nigredo – Flesh Torn – Spirit Pierced Review

By Master of Muppets on April 26, 2018 in 2018, Black Metal, Death Metal, Greek Metal, Reviews, Transcending Obscurity, Black Metal, Death Metal, 37 comments

“Hello darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk about you again. Try though I did to abandon my pursuits ov the fabled black dragon, there is only so much one can do to wrest themselves from the hands of their own addictions. There is also only so much one can do when the Madam herself slams the needle directly into your feeble, velvety arm and says “you’re going for a ride, ready or not!” Addiction is an ugly, fearsome thing, and so are Greece’s Nigredo.” While Behemoth Sleeps.