01. Orphaned Spiritual Warrior
02. Snakeskin Tunnel Colony
03. Eclipsing Worlds Of Scorn
04. To Forgive Oneself
05. …And They Still Dream…
06. Theater Of Smoke & Wind
Eclipsing Worlds Of Scorn is high-quality modern black metal that’s equally as progressive as it is atmospheric.
Obsidian Tongue emerged onto the USBM scene in Portland, Oregon, back in 2009 as a solo project masterminded by James Hayter (guitars/bass/vocals), and they’ve remained a duo since Raymond Capizzo (drummer) joined in 2017. Black metal has stretched far beyond its raw traditional Scandinavian origins to become one of the most diverse and widespread genres, responsible for spawning many great offshoot sub-genres. Obsidian Tongue is one of the bands whose style spreads across this entire spectrum, so they don’t really fit into a particular niche or category as such. Despite this, their style is mainly considered atmospheric black metal, and that’s remained their basic formula from the beginning. By introducing a range of elements and influences from progressive, psychedelic and post-black metal, their style has steadily developed and evolved with each release.
Eclipsing Worlds Of Scorn is the band’s fourth full-length offering, and is also their most ambitious and creative effort to date. Once again, they cover a broad range of styles from across the black metal spectrum, incorporating atmoblack, meloblack, post-black, progressive, and (to a lesser extent) blackgaze, while psychedelic elements have also become a more prominent feature. It consists of 6 fairly lengthy songs that are mostly centred around progressive compositions, with regularly changing rhythm patterns and tempo shifts, and a focus just as much on melody as on atmosphere.
The guitars deliver mainly ferocious semi-melodic blackened tremolos intertwined with exhilarating leads, while the drumming is powerful, frantic, and rather stylish, instead of relying overly on blast beats. The synths also play a pivotal role, and are the main driving force behind the album’s immersive soundscapes, which can feel as though you’re gliding through the cosmos on an epic voyage. Hayter’s vocals are versatile, ranging from tortuous shrieks and devastating howls, to haunting whispering chants and distorted psychedelic cleans, each style fitting with the music at that time.Â
There’s also multiple occasions in which the band pulls away from black metal altogether, going down a softer 70s-inspired route, such as on the song “Snakeskin Tunnel Colony”; its slow, trippy mid-section with psychedelic clean singing and bluesy lead guitar work reminds me of Black Sabbath‘s “Planet Caravan”. The approach of integrating 70s progressive and psychedelic rock influences comes into play several times throughout this album, reflecting a rising trend in extreme metal set by the likes of Chapel Of Disease and Blood Incantation in the past few years.
Eclipsing Worlds Of Scorn is a powerful and intense ride that keeps you immersed throughout; its progressive nature is unpredictable, the melodies do just enough to keep you hooked, and the atmosphere keeps you in a transfixed state. All these elements create a densely layered structure, and the production allows each element to shine equally, so much so that if you didn’t know this was a duo you’d be none of the wiser thinking this was actually a quintet. If you’re looking for another unique hidden gem of the USBM scene, particularly a band that combines a wide array of elements and influences, then Obsidian Tongue are definitely worth keeping your eye on, especially now that they’ve really hit their stride with Eclipsing Worlds Of Scorn.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 10 |
| Production: | 9 |
 |
Written on 03.06.2025 by
Feel free to share your views. |