NORTHLANE - OBSIDIAN
Northlane’s sixth studio album Obsidian is an epic masterpiece that once again solidifies their place amongst the greatest in the heavy scene. Melding their trademark metal sound with a large influence of EDM has created a truly unique tone that feels like a dystopian world trapped in gritty realism.
With the band taking control, self producing this release and the launch of their “Worldeaters” community, it’s exciting to see their capability with full creative freedom and clearly it resonates into the album.
Whilst it’s not a full departure from the sound they’ve developed over the years, it definitely feels like a dramatic leap forward from Alien and evolution of potential that should knock away any concerns from fans.
Opening track ‘Clarity’ is a building introduction that layers the sounds to ease listeners into what to expect going forward, soft vocals and sonorous synths contrasted with abrupt breakdowns and technical riffs. The lyrics are emotionally challenging as vocalist Marcus Bridge’s confronts the fallout of bringing up his past in their previous album, you can feel the pain and fatigue of voice as he sings “dragged my skull to the curb, you fucked me up again”.
Following this is the collection of the singles released in the lead up to Obsidian’s release, with ‘Clockwork’ and ‘Echo Chamber’ leaning into the more prominent EDM sound, which cleverly fits the subject matter of the two tracks as they detail the repetitive struggle of anxiety both around writing music and the toxic online community that they face judgement from. This is rounded off with ’Carbonised’ which targets and outs predatory artists, holding them accountable and reminding the audience that it’s still a prevalent issue in the industry.
‘Abomination’ is a breakaway from extrinsic issues and instead is an intrinsic reflection of personal struggles. It opens with a drum and bass line supported with spiking synths that drive the song, however stills maintains its rich, heavy sound thanks to guitar work from Josh Smith. Its bridge uses smart musicality to emphasise this topic with a booming bass akin to monstrous footsteps, leading into another breakdown.
‘Plenty’ is reminiscent of Northlane that fans have heard before almost being an extension of Alien which is a nice throwback to what many already love about this Aussie band. It gives drummer Nic Pettersen a chance to open up on his incredible skills, which are often quite caged on this release to fit in with the newer sound. The single is also a perfect point for the album to start breaking into the second half of new tracks, which kicks off with ‘Is This a Test?’.This bouncy number creates a more joyous energy that makes you want to dance like ‘Eclipse’ does on Alien. Its sound and feel almost seems like a response in itself to repeating lyrical lines “Is this a test? Or just a consequence?”, a juxtaposition causing inner conflict of fighting a resistance with positivity.
‘Xen’ is one of the standout tracks for Obsidian, the contrast between the soft chorus and aggressive verses work well as a call and answer songwriting choice. It’s message of genuine authenticity is an uplifting turn from hard-hitting, somber tracks that dominate the album. The dissonance of frantic guitar riffs against grungy bass tones keeps the core of the track interesting until it reaches a pinnacle towards the end. Jon Deiley’s musical genius is on full display as a little synth interlude tails the song off, which feels like a meditative pause to emphasise the lyrics “Just breathe in, savour the taste”. The sound he has created transports the listener to another a plane, in the same way that Hans Zimmer does in films like Blade Runner 2049 or Dune with its ethereal tranquility, leading directly into ‘Cypher’ which continues the tone.
‘Nova’ is another refreshing pause in tonality that softens the heavier sound before the closing trio of tracks draw the album to a close. Much like a lot of the structure of the songs, the structure of the album flows up and down with the ending being a gradual climb back to an emphatic finale. Title track ‘Obsidian’ is one of the most technical works Northlane have released, it’s dynamic riffs, complex layers and staccato drumming providing a rich texture. Fading into the synth heavy outro, ‘Dark Solitaire’ which rounds off the band’s newest release smoothly.
At face value, Obsidian, is another fantastic addition to Northlane’s discography, being an enjoyable listen throughout with both fresh and classic sounding songs. Upon digging deeper there’s so much to find, every listen seems to uncover a depth to a lyric or a loop in the synth that makes up part of the multifaceted tone. Despite the struggles they have continually faced, they have come on top again delivering a piece of art that will continue echo on throughout the year. There’s so much that could be said to describe how incredible this album really is but for a full tangible taste of this latest drop, go give it a couple listens and experience it for yourself.
David Barter
★★★★★