…the temple is empty and ruined: OBSIDIAN SEA – 'Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions'

It has been three years since the Bulgarian doom duo Obsidian Sea has unleashed their excellent debut, Between Two Deserts, (review HERE) and the passage of time and the inclusion of bassist Ivaylo Dobrev into the Obsidian fold has served the band well on their follow-up, Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions. Between Two Deserts was a solid debut due to the heavy, memorable riffs and chant-like vocal cadence of guitarist/bassist/vocalist Anton Avramov, and a murky, dismal atmosphere that was successfully conveyed throughout the album. Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions is a much more varied release that trades in heft for arguably stronger compositions.

Whether it’s the inclusion of Dobrev on bass or a conscious decision by the band, but the presence of bass guitar plays a much larger role on the Obsidian Sea’s latest and to great effect. Dobrev’s presence not only adds a bit of low-end heft that was missing from the debut, but his basslines help to sculpt the tunes into sonic masterworks by not always simply following along with Avramov’s riffs. “Somnambulism,” the album’s closing track, perfectly captures the strength of Obsidian Sea’s rhythm section and captures drummer Bozhidar Parvanov at his most creative.

While solid drumming and the added presence of bass help to define the tracks found on Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions the guitar playing of Avramov is bolder, more adventurous, and his vocal range is both more expressive and more expansive. The album opener, “The Trial of Herostratus,” musically bears a remote kinship to Trouble’s Psalm 9, particularly “The Tempter,” but also illustrates Avramov’s great guitar playing, especially his soloing, and his growth as a vocalist.

One of the highlights of Between Two Deserts was the consistent, unique atmosphere that was threaded throughout the album’s nine tracks. Thankfully the band successfully wields a similar magic on their sophomore effort, though there are more nuances for the band to explore. “Confession,” the album’s second track, creeps along with a sepulchral ambiance largely due to the spacey, effect-laden bassline of Dobrev. The tasteful inclusion of organ courtesy of Nikolay Karakehayov on tracks “Child in the Tower” and “Mulkurul” adds depth and variety to the compositions. “Child in the Tower” may be the strongest track penned by the band and shows the trio at their most creative.

Dreams, Illusions, Obsessions is a stunning release from start to finish and stands as one of the year’s strongest releases, particularly in the doom sphere. And while the band’s debut, Between Two Deserts, was a solid release it is heartening to hear the band progress to such a high level of songwriting. Fans of traditional debut will not be disappointed as the band delivers on every level. Highly recommended…

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Obsidian Sea - 'Between Two Deserts'

Amidst a vast ocean of lumbering, riff-worshipping beasts of traditional doom it can be difficult for the little fish to stand out amongst the leviathans of the genre. Bulgaria’s Obsidian Sea drops their line in the water in an attempt to cause some ripples with their first full-length release ‘Between Two Deserts’. How does it measure up? Quite well, actually. A good point of reference in both vocal delivery and execution would be Finland’s The Wandering Midget, except Obsidian Sea’s duo of Bozhidar (drums) and Anton (vocals, bass, guitars, drums) lack the level of proficiency in their rhythm section compared to the drum-driven, progressive minded Finns. Obsidian Sea relies more on lumber opposed to groove.

The majestic album opener “At the Temple Doors” firmly establishes Obsidian Sea’s modus operandi of crafting solid traditional doom. Nothing more. Nothing less. The first half of the album might not contain any surprises, but the riffs are memorable, slow, and heavy—a pattern which becomes all too transparent and may reveal the album’s greatest weakness: lack of surprises or originality. Balancing on a razor’s edge between convention and inventiveness is perhaps the most difficult task for any doom band, especially for initiates of traditional doom.

At the end of the first half of the album Obsidian Sea finally deviate from their established formula by shifting to a thrashier tempo towards the end of fourth track “Impure Days”. While the change is welcome, it is the album’s first true misstep and illustrates that the band are a much more effective unit playing slow to mid-paced doom. The track is also comically marred by a sample of howling wolves that serves to distract the listener rather than enhancing the mood of the song.

At the center of the album “Curse of the Watcher” reigns supreme as the standout track. The initial riff is slightly reminiscent of Triptykon or latter day Celtic Frost in both execution and tone. It is the most dynamic structurally and contains perhaps the most sinister riffing to be found on the album. It’s a shame that this is the second shortest song on the album as it could have been extended and used as the album’s closer.

Starting with “Absence of Faith”, which boasts the album’s catchiest vocal melody, the latter half of the album continues down its established path by churning out consistent if not-too-original doom metal.

Obsidian Sea have fashioned a solid debut album that is perhaps most spellbinding in its dim, consistent mood. For those disciples who wish to further pursue the arcana of traditional doom ‘Between Two Deserts’ is an album worth adding to one’s collection. This is geared for fans of Reverend Bizarre or the aforementioned The Wandering Midget. It’s a solid debut and could signal great things to come.

Words: Steve Miller
(Originally published at Doommantia)

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