Album review: PESTILENCE – Obsideo
Candlelight Records – Out Now.
2008 was a very important year for fans of old school Death Metal as it marked the return on active service of the Dutch Death Metal quartet Pestilence – a unique and technically outstanding outfit whose albums like “Consuming Impulse” (1989) and “Testimony Of The Ancients” (1991) are considered by many to be landmarks of this extreme music genre.
Since then, guitarist, front man and overall leader Patrick Mameli has led his troops into releasing two very interesting albums, namely “Resurrection Macabre” (2009) and “Doctrine” (2011) – still what most of his fans, myself included, were anxiously waiting was for that one album that would truly connect the band’s current reincarnation with the glorious days of old. Well, it looks like the wait is finally over as “Obsideo”, the band’s seventh studio album is just that album.
Let me be clear here: I don’t believe that anyone, Mameli included, can create a Death Metal album capable of surpassing a musical colossus like “Testimony Of The Ancients”! Why?
Not only because the musicianship involved in the creation of this album is of the highest possible standards but also because in 1991, the year that the said album was released, Death Metal was still a genre in a healthy stage of evolution.
That being the case, why did I provide “Obsideo” with such a positive and exciting-sounding introduction? Because, contrary to what was the case with both its predecessors, Mameli’s latest brainchild is clearly the product of a truly inspired group of musicians – a band that looks both to its future with optimism, and to its past endeavours – with respect.
Fast riffing and technically demanding rhythmical patterns provide the backbone of the same-titled “Obsideo” – a song whose groove is clearly influenced by the works of Morbid Angel and whose intensity will simply leave you gasping for air.
Those of you who missed the atmospheric/futuristic keyboard interludes used in past albums will really appreciate songs like “Displaced” and “Transition”, while those who evaluate the quality of a Death Metal composition by its intensity and directness will truly love the highly addictive guitar themes of the holy trinity of “Aura Negative”, “Laniatus” & “Distress”.
Most important, however, is that fact that even compositions of a less explosive nature, such as “NecroMorph”, “Soulrot” and “Superconscious” fair better when compared to an average Death Metal song, something that provides the album with much needed consistency and the listener with a potentially enjoyable audio experience.
It took Patrick Mameli five years and a handful of new band members to rediscover the right music formula for Pestilence but, as the ten compositions that put together “Obsideo” clearly suggest, the Dutch maestro is finally on the right track.
It is impossible not to warm to those short, direct but technically outstanding compositions, whose riffs, licks and melodies Death Metal musicians will be studying closely in the coming months in the hope of finding inspiration. The Pestilence we all know and love are finally truly back!
John Stefanis
Rating: **** (4.0/5.0)
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.
Next session: Sunday 1 December
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024
ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)
Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections