Ne Obliviscaris: Salvation In Innovation
It’s been a while since we’ve been graced with new material from the enigmatic Aussies, NE OBLIVISCARIS, with Urn being released back in 2017 everyone has been eagerly awaiting their next installment. That time is finally upon us with the impending release of fourth studio effort Exul. A release that took a lot of grit and determination to bring to life.
“We planned to record the album back in March 2020 but shortly after recording the drums they closed the borders,” explains frontman Marc ‘Xenoyr’ Campbell. “We’ve ultimately had to record separately over the course of a couple of years so this album was recorded in a number of different studios in a number of different countries in between lockdowns. We just had to do with what was available to us. This is our first release with our new bassist Martino, he is one of our two members who live in Europe. He contributed a lot to the writing process and he worked very well with our guitarist as they have a similar style. It’s been a while since we’ve released any material so I’m curious to see how people find it.”
“I think it will be an album that people will need to sit with for a while but it’s nice to finally get something out there and show everyone where we are at this stage. Things got delayed numerous times but it gave us the chance to formulate things and make it sound a bit more cohesive. The only problem with having so much time is that you have too much opportunity for second guessing and overanalysing things. You kind of become your own worst enemy. You start to doubt what is good anymore but it was very helpful to get feedback from the rest of the band and have that reassurance that you were on the right track. I hate listening to myself so going over things multiple times is like twisting the knife even more.”
The pandemic wreaked havoc on scheduling throughout the world and the music industry took the brunt of it, touring was no longer an option and some had to depend on live streaming. This filled the void for a short time but nothing compares to the adrenaline rush of being in person to witness such a performance. NE OBLIVISCARIS were handed a lifeline by their diehard fans and subscribers of their Patreon which was a godsend in such uncertain times. “We started our Patreon in 2016 so by the time this whole situation came around we were well established and had quite a lot of support,” discusses Xen. “It helped us so much during the pandemic and we’re forever grateful for people sticking by us. We expected a bit of a decline because people may be out of work or whatever but it stayed pretty steady. When we first started our Patreon it was kind of frowned upon but at the end of the day if people don’t want to support you then they don’t have to, we’re not twisting anyone’s arm. We have continued to provide content and people have appreciated that additional level of contact. I think it opened a lot of people’s eyes in regard to the benefit it can provide, both to the artist and the supporters themselves.”
As a means of showing their gratitude to the dedicated subscribers, NE OBLIVISCARIS offered some valuable insight into the significant financial impact which befalls a touring band. This made for interesting reading and was appreciated by the fans as it also informed them on what their hard earned money was being invested into. “We wanted to be clear and transparent from the start and give fans a glimpse into the industry and what it’s like to be a musician in this day and age,” states Xen. “Most people go into music expecting to make no money, we do this because we love writing and performing. We just wanted to be upfront and honest and allow people to see what they’re dealing with and how they’re supporting us. You’ve got to be in it for the love of your art and the creative process. If anyone thinks they’re going into music to be a millionaire with a mansion they’re sadly mistaken.”
Thankfully as the years have elapsed there are less and less restrictions when it comes to bands being able to get back out on the road again and get some well earned facetime with live crowds. Sadly the light at the end of the tunnel is still hiding away in the distance with many experiencing the financial struggles which are ongoing across the world. “We’ve got a lot of touring in the works this year, including a two-leg European tour in May with PERSEFONE, ASYMMETRIC UNIVERSE and THE OMNIFIC then we’re off to the US in October with BEYOND CREATION. We’re looking for other potential routes like Asia, South America but I think everyone is kind of impatient to get out there on the road and see the fans again so there is a lot of congestion with bands trying to arrange touring all at the same time, there is availability issues with venues, higher fees for travelling and it’s a bit of a mess to navigate your way through right now,” admits Xen. “I think it’ll take a few years before it returns to any kind of normalcy but it’s certainly not made it any easier for bands wanting to get out there and try and make a living. Tim also manages the band so we’re very lucky to have him as it gives us a chance to plan ahead.”
Exul is out now via Season Of Mist.
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