Obscura - A Celebration I - Live in North America Review

I remember to have said that this year has been fantastic for alive albums. Not only in quantity, but also in quality. By the way, “A Celebration I – Live in North America” is Obscura’s first alive album which was recorded during the band’s North American Tour. Mastermind Steffen Kummerer comments: “A Celebration I – Live in North America” covers a selection of concerts we performed in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico between 2022 and 2023 as part of the “A Valediction World Tour.” Within 20 years, we are looking towards the first live album of Obscura, spiked with songs of our last five releases. It was a pleasure working through every recorded show to pick the best song, the loudest possible audience and a stellar performance by a band that’s on fire. As a first impression, we choose “The Anticosmic Overload” performed in the United States of America, since this was the first song ever we performed in North America back in 2009.”

“A Celebration I – Live in North America” is a journey through the band’s fan’s favorites songs. I dare to say the album is pretty monolithic as it evolves with no worries for the band’s most hardcore fan. Instrumentwise, it’s a great opportunity to check the band out alive with its great musicians. From the beginning it’s Jeroen Paul Thesseling’s bass that impresses with prominent lines. Album warmer “Forsaken” has those bass lines that impress the fan. It commences with the lines immortalized by Pink Floyd during “The Wall” era. Interestingly, Obscura’s instrumentals sound much more related to Power Metal. I feel many Power Metal features in each track of the album. But, from where I’m sitting, the best thing of the band’s music is that contrast I’ve telling you my dear child of the night for some time. The band’s instrumentals contrast with the Death Metal roars done by vocalist Steffen Kummerer. That’s the best part of it. The contrast of the subtle bass intro with the Death Metal sonic mass that comes next is really impressive.

In fact, tracks like “Incarnated” reminded me of another alive album I love. The album is Blind Guardian’s “Tokyo Tales,” which coincidentaly or not, it’s the band’s premiere alive album as well. It’s, of course, the technical touch Obscura give to their songs that make a difference making it an alive band that impresses the most picky Metal fan. The guitars of “Emergent Evolution” are simply irresistible plus the iconic bass lines. The band’s string section is so impressive that makes some fans not to pay attention to the drumming. It’s such a pitty because it’s also outstanding. The classical music touch the band wraps the intro “Ode to the Sun” gives a dark meaning to it. This dark meaning alive shocks even more especially when the drumming comes with the blasting.

“A Celebration I – Live in North America” is an impressive album for any Metal fan that loves the musicianship Obscura’s guys have. It’s the band at its finest moments.

Obscura “A Celebration I – Live in North America” will be released on October 27th via Nuclear Blast Records.

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