LIVE REVIEW: Ne Obliviscaris @ Rebellion, Manchester

Progressive music is ever complicated, often doesn’t garner widespread appeal in modern society, but joyously creates some of the most novel and individual music you can find. Australian progressive six-piece NE OBLIVISCARIS are a truly unique outfit and return to the UK for the first time in five years promoting latest album Exul to a budding crowd at Manchester’s Rebellion. If you were arriving anticipating brief pop bangers then turn around now, this is a night for those in for the long haul.

First to take the stage are Italian virtuosic three-piece ASYMMETRIC UNIVERSE, combining every possible aspect of exceptionalism into their half hour display. Many times, progressive virtuoso acts hone in on a specific tonal focus, ASYMMENTRIC UNIVERSE however opt for the ability to cover all musical options they can imagine, sweeping rapidly from moments of jazz/fusion influence, to blasting rhythmic battery, and mellow melodic junctures. It is difficult to not be infatuated by the sheer ability on display, and the frequency with which they modulate to unprecedented feats. Arguably drummer Gabriele Bullita shows the least flamboyance in his performance, perhaps due to having to hold together the almost inexplicable brotherly display in Federico and Nicolo Vese on guitar and bass respectively before him, but his tasteful performance glues the troupe together exceptionally, periodically allowing himself moments of release in the form of equally exceptional fills. They allow their music to do the talking for them, and don’t speak to the audience until their departing message, safe in the knowledge that all who witnessed will have been well and truly blown away.

Rating: 8/10

The European trend continues with Andorran progressive death metal contingent PERSEFONE emerging to a strobing stage shrouded in electronic pulsing synth lines. Enthralling shredded riffs and thrashing beats are thrust upon us in an instant during Mind As Universe, with the gears being frequently shifted to head banging grooves keeping the whole room on their toes. There is a dynamic dramatism to their performance spearheaded by keyboard player and clean singer Miguel Espinosa, adding a great deal of depth to the unrelenting shredded riffs that slap you across the face throughout the set. Fellow vocalist Daniel Flys marauds the stage with a cool air about him, nodding at the crowd with a coy grin at their participation in the music, frequently joining in chants and opening mosh pits. PERSEFONE arrived with the task of warming up the crowd and depart victorious with a huge cheer during the false ambient end of closing track The Majestic Of Gaia, allowing further chance for the crowd to display their affection for this goliath set.

Rating: 8/10

At last, the time for the goliaths of NE OBLIVISCARIS comes, gargantuan in riffs, drums, vocally and track length. They softly open with Intra Venus, giving the room chance to welcome the sextet on stage before descending into the brutality of riffs that they promise. They are a truly unique outfit with perpetually unrelenting rhythms and riffs, supplemented beautifully by romantic violin melodies from violinist and clean vocalist Tim Charles, who comments on how there are twice as many people in the room as their last visit to Rebellion in 2018. Charles has a fluidity to his movements as he sings, allowing his arms and locks to meander sweepingly around. Melodic duties are one shared throughout the group, but uniquely bassist Martino Garattoni takes license atop the shredding and pummelling drums to play emphatic and absorbing melodic lines. So often an instrument passed to the back of the stage, Garattoni displays an individuality to his approach that is as captivating as it is binding to the group.

Regular frontman Marc ‘Xenoyr’ Campbell unfortunately had to pull out of this tour due to illness, so screaming duties are capably taken by BLACK CROWN INTIATE frontman James Dorton, who miraculously has learned one hundred minutes of music in ten days according to Charles. Dorton stands behemoth like on stage before producing each beastly growl, departing and re-emerging as required with an air of mystery about him. One highlight of the night comes in the end moments of Libera, Pt. 1 climaxing in a sea of “oh’s” across the entire room. They are not an outfit with many commonplace moments for this participation, but once the opportunity does arise, there is scarcely an arm not raised to elevate the rally cry.

They close the show with Graal, with relentless drums as we have come to expect throughout the night, but are unable to depart for an encore as the dressing room is too far a commute for a two way trip. The crowd encourage for more, with chants of one more song piercing straight into the faces of the Melbourne outfit, before ending with fan favourite And Plague Flowers The Kaleidoscope, a track which they have played at every show since 2012. The anthemic ender successfully gets the crowd moving with a final mosh pit for the ending breakdown, and a last chance for the crowd to display their affection for the Melbourne-based entourage. From this display, we would hardly be surprised if by their next visit the volume of crowds for NE OBLIVISCARIS will have once again doubled as they have successfully endeared themselves to everyone in the room with their truly unique brand of progressive metal.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Jess Robinson here: 

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