When Deena Weinstein in her book “Heavy Metal: The Music and Its Culture” called Metal music a cultural and musical hodgepodge I got a little suspicious because I kind of thought she would be overreacting. Hodgepodge? Is that so? However, finally I get to agree with her while listening to a band as Moribund Oblivion and their newest album “Intertemporal” and the – subtle – hodgepodge of influences the band used from Metal music to other genres. Long gone are the times Black Metal was closed to other genres influences.
“Intertemporal” is opened up by the blasting “A Piece of Infinity” whose initial moments is a standard Black Metal blast with all the possible elements that made Black Metal what it is, however, everything changes when the guitar strumming takes the lead with some clean vocals bringing to light some 1980’s Post Punk elements. It is a big change of hearts that shows Moribund Oblivion‘s will to add unexpected elements to their music. The following track “Cold the Night” brings some Melodic Death Metal elements to the album and all its melody and dark moments. Here the band steps really out of Black Metal to assume a Melodic Death Metal facete. Pretty great guitars. In the beginning, “Deceptive Portals” is on the same page with more Black Metal elements and a more pungent structure. The deceptive cadences – some blanks filled with unknown effects or some jazzy passages near the end – are carefully inserted into the track. The drumming takes the lead here with an awesome performance. It is “In the Middle of the Dark Chaos” the track that goes deeper into the subtle use of effects and other elements out of Metal music, however keeping Melodic Death Metal facete with the guitars and drumming. Then comes album tittle track “Intertemporal” whose lots of guitar strummings create a more ethereal mood combined with a female voice to cool down the blast. To some extent, it is the track that is more related to modern Black Metal of the album with the mesmerizing guitars and the double bass drummings. It uses lots of contrasts to express the message Moribund Oblivion wish to pass the fan.
“Intertemporal” is an album that mixes lots of Extreme Metal features with other Metal music features, except for “The Remains of Your Ancestors” which goes a little farther blending some Industrial Metal elements with more melodic vocals typical of Melodic Death Metal. However, the guitars are much, but much richer in their building up and effects taking the track to another level of ethereal. Do not forget the ancient American people’s chant near the end. Even though subtle in some moments, the album is a hodgepodge of many elements with an Atmospheric Black Metal mood plus a stronger Melodic Death Metal facete. It is not easy to label “Intertemporal,” but who cares?
Moribund Oblivion “Intertemporal” will be released on September 12th via Theogonia Records.
Track Listing:
01. A Piece of Infinity
02. Cold the Night
03. Deceptive Portals
04. In the Middle of the Dark Chaos
05. Intertemporal
06. The Remains of Your Ancestors
07. Time is An Illusion
Watch “Time is An Illusion” official music video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!