EP REVIEW: Shrine of the Obscene – The Odious Construct
It is difficult to be direct sometimes. Often the less subtle is brushed aside as crass and invalid, or even dismissed entirely. It is this love of the indirect that has largely dominated death metal recently. It seems that every visceral blast beat romp is dressed up in a post-metal album’s clothing, and while that certainly has a place in the world, it is often refreshing to see bands like ABORTED delivering obscenely honest efforts every other year. And where honesty is concerned, look no further than THE ODIOUS CONSTRUCT.
Returning for their second EP release, Shrine of the Obscene, the Sacramento five piece have delivered a tech album, nothing more, nothing less. And when done right, that’s all that is necessary. So how does this effort hold up?
The album launches immediately into its opening number, Vortex of Self, a track that expertly showcases the band’s intentions: riffs, riffs, shred, and riffs. The breakneck, frenetic pacing, unforgiving blast beats, and rhythmic multi-layered vocals build to create something volatile, and yet absorbing and involving. It is a sound almost reminiscent of Wretched, or Enigma, with its melodic neoclassical notions and melodic death metal sensibilities of structuring combining to create a mesmerising explosion of audio.
In terms of production, this release is more competent than its self-titled predecessor. The EP is clear, and well recorded. The mix is balanced, with every element of the band’s audio palette represented strongly within the onslaught, and the guitars are crunchy, while also packing a digital flow to them, making for an expertly crafted stream of riffs and soaring solos. THE ODIOUS CONSTRUCT also know how to make excellent use of keyboards, opting to use them as an accenting element, rather than a focal point in the music, forming another layer of intrigue over what is a very straight forward package.
For a mere five tracks, Shrine of the Obscene packs a plethora of content. The constant speed at which the record operates allows for the band to explore and refine their sound to a razor sharp point. The only issue with this philosophy is that it does not allow much room for experimentation. This is an album that unapologetically operates within the confines of the technical death metal genre bracket, and does little to try and escape it. This is not a detractor from the quality of the record, but it does mean that the record perhaps would not work as well if it were stretched into a full-length album.
The average technical death metal fan will love this record. It does not expand the boundaries of the genre, but also accepts that it does not need to. If you are in anyway partial to virtuosic solos, punishing riffs, or being repeatedly kicked in the face by a cocaine-fuelled orchestra conductor, Shrine of the Obscene will probably give you twenty minutes of fun.
Rating: 7/10
Shrine of the Obscene is out now via The Artisan Era.
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