The nut to crack that is Obvurt is a tough one.
On the one hand, the Quebec-based tech-death trio hold their own with bombastic, forceful drumming; chaotic, thrashy elements; and call-off-the-dogs brutal vocals. On the other hand, the majority of Triumph Beyond Adversity (Unique Leader Records) is mired in mediocrity, relying too much on formulaic tropes while falling prey to a surplus of empty space. A portion of the songs inexplicably feel out of place, though not due to the band’s inability. Instead, the record plays as the personification of a college student who boasts a 3.0 GPA while coasting through the four years without engaging in much of any extracurricular activity, content with being uncompromisingly normal.
‘Second Chance’ is brimming with bestial vocals that develop into frenzied finger tapping. Philippe Drouin’s titanic growls bait Charléli Arsenault-Tremblay’s minigun bass pedaling. Furthermore, ‘Invisible Enemy’ musters a boisterous thrash metal intro which trembles and rattles. But the track also features a sequence of bass guitar into finger-tapping played over keyboard that is cataclysmically jumbled, damaging the composition’s staying power.
Another tit-for-tat example of Obvurt’s inconsistency: ‘One Last Thing’ is easily the record’s crowning moment. Structured and purposeful, it crescendos with a refrain that’s bolstered by straight-up epic instrumentations. However, ‘Halfway From Theory’ is perfectly mediocre and refuses to challenge the status quo or throw caution to the wind. A veritable B- if there ever was one.
All in all, Triumph Beyond Adversity is as hard to decipher as the band’s name suggests (the moniker is a portmanteau of obvert and hurt). Too often the record turns into background noise, the proverbial fish tank in the living room. It’s frustrating considering the skills the group no doubt possesses. The album simply fails to collate everyone’s abilities into a fluid, organic finished product.
Buy the album here:
https://uniqueleaderrecords.bandcamp.com/album/triumph-beyond-adversity
6 / 10
MATT COOK