Album Review: Obvurt – Triumph Beyond Adversity (Unique Leader Records)

Canadian technical death metal trio Obvurt return with new album ‘Triumph Beyond Adversity’ via Unique Leader on the 2nd of December 2022.

A marvel of meaty metal, a tenacious example of technical mastery and a bullish blast of brutality. Obvurt begin their new album in a measured way but immediately expose the nerve endings of the album’s subject matters with The Beginning.

An album that explores the effects of the global pandemic on the band right through to looking at the possibility of World War 3. Such is life these days. Yet, Obvurt adapt and overcome, defiant in the face of so much adversity, putting a positive spin on a dark and depressing situation. This is about standing up, finding strength you never knew you had and refusing to let it all beat you down.

All showcased through the medium of crunchy, chunky, and crushing tech-death. The pummelling and unforgiving heaviness of Second Chance, the garish blend of speed, melody and guttural savagery of Invisible Enemy, and the razor-sharp cuts that Halfway from Theory deliver. This is Obvurt and in just a handful of tracks, they make a strong claim for being one of the brighter stars in the tech-death genre right now.

That feeling is only enhanced as Obvurt continue to push the limits of their imagination while staying true to the core savagery that comes from the genre. Renverser L’adversité’s explosive speed matched only by the ripping and tearing guitar riffs. One of the most dangerous sounding tracks on the entire album.

Whereas One Last Thing has intense wandering instrumentation that puts the mind through the wringer, and Life and Death can simply be called grand. A grand showcase of extravagant technical detail and brutal death heaviness. The beating that Obvurt dish out, made even more painful when you take the content into account. This is serious subjects and Obvurt have a way of making it matter.

Thankfully, there’s no chance for the mind to become numb to their assault as with a short and sharp blast, the album comes to a close. Obvurt ending things on a high, as speed, heaviness and some exceptional groove takes precedence over anything else with the finale of Versus.

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