Obsidian Kingdom

Obsidian Kingdom

Obsidian Kingdom performing A Year With No Summer during its presentation concert at Apolo in Barcelona, April the 16th 2016. Caption by Carles Romagosa.
Background information
Origin Barcelona, Spain
Genres Progressive metal, post-metal, experimental rock, alternative rock
Years active 2005–present
Website http://obsidiankingdom.com/
Members Rider G Omega
Ojete Mordaza II
Seerborn Ape Tot
Om Rex Orale
Eaten Roll I
Past members Zer0 Æmeour Íggdrasil
Fleast Race O'Uden
Prozoid Zeta JSI
Saten Haz Im Nu
Fatal Error Pl(a)n
Croma LAN Ro

Obsidian Kingdom is a music band formed in 2005 in Barcelona, whose music is not easy to label.[1] The band itself defines it as “hard-to-classify heavy sound with plenty of contrasts”.[2] The band's music has been characterized as drawing equally on progressive rock, post-metal, black metal, alternative and electronic music.[3][4][5] In 2013, Metal Injection called them "the masters of every genre".[6]

History

2005-2011: Early works

The band was originally formed by guitar player Rider G Omega and drummer Croma LAN Ro in Barcelona. Guitar player Prozoid Zeta JSI and bass player Fatal Error Pl\:A\n joined the band later in 2005, and the line-up was completed in 2006 with singer Saten Haz Im Nu.[7] Their first work was the MCD Matter (2007), the reviews of which were overall good while highlighting production as a weak point.[8] During the subsequent year after Matter’s release, Obsidian Kingdom toured Spain and Portugal.

Their following release, the EP 3:11, was recorded during 2009 and out in 2010, serving as a preview to what should have been their first album: Fera.[9] The band entrusted Ritxi Ostáriz (Ulver, Ihsahn) with the artwork design.[10] On this occasion, reviews underlined the band's evolution in sound and composition,[11] as well as the great amount of influences and different styles that could be heard in their music.[12]

Right before the release of 3:11, the band's line-up suffered drastic changes, with the departures of Nu, Ro, and Pl(a)n, but by 2011 the lineup had stabilized with the addition of keyboard player Zer0 Æmeour Íggdrasil, drummer Ojete Mordaza II, and bass player Fleast Race O’Uden.[13] Obsidian Kingdom promoted 3:11 with this new setup during 2011, through a few local shows.[14]

2012: Mantiis

In November 2012 Obsidian Kingdom released the LP Mantiis, a concept album consisting of a single song divided into 14 tracks, which is defined by reflecting a diverse palette of emotions[15] and the great amount of genres that it contains.[16] The album, that includes guest appearances by Fiar (singer from the Catalan Black Metal band Foscor) and trumpeter Nicholas Dominic Talvola, obtained very positive reviews from specialised press.[17][18][19] Once more, design was in charge of Ritxi Ostáriz, who posed this time as Art Director while creative responsibilities relied on visual artist Elena Gallen.

Mantiis was officially presented live on December 14, 2012 at Music Hall in Barcelona with Cut the End as supporting band. The album was played in its entirety and the band finished the concert with a cover of the traditional American folk song Wayfaring Stranger.[20] Late live appearances during 2013 include the support of Cult of Luna during their January shows in Madrid and Barcelona,[21] and their performance in April at Headway Festival.[22]

In November 2013, the band released Torn & Burnt, which contains seven remixes from Mantiis signed by electronic producers such as DJ Oktopus from Dälek, Subheim, Poordream, Necro Deathmort, Jr Morgue, Drumcorps, Larvae and Mothboy.

In April 2014 Obsidian Kingdom is signed to the independent music label Season of Mist.[23] Following the re-issue of Mantiis on October 24,[24] the band embarked on a tour across Europe and the UK, headlined by the Icelandic post-rock band Sólstafir.[25] Obsidian Kingdom's performance throughout the tour received praiseworthy reviews from the media, which highlighted the band's presence,[26] energy[27] and intensity[28] onstage.

Mantiis was played live in its entirety for the last time at Ritual Cvlt Fest in October 2014.[29] The band ended their performance with a cover of the Necro Deathmort Remix of their track "Awake Until Dawn".[30]

2016: A Year With No Summer

In June 2015, Obsidian Kingdom played a special show with their Drone Set side-project at the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona.[31] Shortly thereafter, the band announced a new line-up (with two new members Seerborn Ape Tot on guitars and Om Rex Orale on bass) and the recording of their new album in the Fall of 2015 with the London-based Colombian producer Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ulver, Paradise Lost).[32]

A Year With No Summer was released by Season of Mist on March 11, 2016 with the songs "Away/Absent",[33] "Black Swan"[34] and "Darkness"[35] as singles. A mockumentary was released for "Black Swan",[36] directed by the Catalan documentary filmmaker Silvia Subirós. The album received several favorable ratings from music critics,[5][37][38] that underlined the bold change in style from the band's debut (especially in the vocal register),[37] its thematic depth[39] and the decrement of extreme metal resources in favor of a more accessible sound.[4] It features the guest appearances of Kristoffer Rygg in "10th April" and Attila Csihar in "The Kandinsky Group"[5] and the artwork design is once more credited to Ritxi Ostáriz[40] and Elena Gallen.[41]

In May 2016 the band announces a new line-up change with the incorporation of young guitar player Eaten Roll I and former guitar player Seerborn Ape Tot now playing keyboards after the departure of Zer0 Æmeour Íggdrasil.[42] In Spring 2016 a few presentation shows are held in different cities of Spain,[43] along with the band's performance at Be Prog[44] and Resurrection[45] festivals in July 2016.

Present Day

The band presents their latest release in a full-blown European & UK tour in September 2016 with Shining (Norwegian band) and Intronaut.[46]

Discography

Studio Albums

EPs

Members

Timeline

Current members
  • Rider G Omega - guitars, vocals (2005–present)
  • Ojete Mordaza II - drums (2010–present)
  • Seerborn Ape Tot - keyboards (2015–present), guitars (2015)
  • Om Rex Orale - bass guitar (2015–present)
  • Eaten Roll I - guitars (2016–present)
Former members
  • Zer0 Æmeour Íggdrasil - keyboards, vocals (2010–2016)
  • Fleast Race O'Uden - bass guitar (2011–2015)
  • Prozoid Zeta JSI - guitars (2005–2015)
  • Saten Haz Im Nu - vocals (2006–2011)
  • Fatal Error Pl/:a/n - bass guitar (2005–2011)
  • Croma LAN Ro - drums (2005–2011)

References

  1. ↑ "Mantiis Review at The Sound of Confusion". Retrieved July 22, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Band's description at last.fm". Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom hones their craft.". The Chimes | Biola University. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  4. 1 2 "Metal Hammer UK, issue 282".
  5. 1 2 3 "Terrorizer Magazine, issue 269".
  6. ↑ "OBSIDIAN KINGDOM Are The Masters Of Every Genre - Metal Injection". Metal Injection. 2013-11-08. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  7. ↑ "3:11 Review at The Sentinel" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Matter Review at Pitchline-Zine" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  9. ↑ "3:11 Review at The Sentinel" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  10. ↑ "3:11 Review at Pitchline-Zine" (in Spanish). Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  11. ↑ "3:11 Review at Pitchline-Zine" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom Interview at Heavy Blog Is Heavy". Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Empire Magazine nº 16 "Obsidian Kingdom" p.45 interview by Marc Gutierrez" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Live Report at Metal Symphony". Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Mantiis Review at Hipersónica" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Mantiis Review at The Sound of Confusion". Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Terrorizer Magazine, issue 233". Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  18. ↑ "Legacy Magazine, January 2013, issue 82, page 143" (in German). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Metal Hammer Magazine, issue 302-page 22" (in Spanish). Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Live Report at Hipersónica". Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Live Report at Rafabasa". Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Live Report at Tempelores Magazine". Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Season of Mist signs Obsidian Kingdom". Lamb Goat. April 23, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom News". Season of Mist. August 20, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Sólstafir News". Season of Mist. October 30, 2014. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Live Report at Unlimited Rock Magazine" (in Spanish). Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Live Report at Metal1.info" (in German). Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Live Report at Songs for the Deaf Radio" (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 27, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Ritual Cvlt Fest review at The Metal Circus (in Spanish)".
  30. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom launch Awake Until Dawn video". Prog. 2014-11-06. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  31. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom launch drone set video". Prog. 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  32. ↑ bravewords.com. "OBSIDIAN KINGDOM To Release New Album In 2016; New Lineup Announced". bravewords.com. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  33. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom – "Away Absent" (Song Premiere)". Invisible Oranges - The Metal Blog. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  34. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom release video for 'Black Swan' - Terrorizer". Terrorizer. 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  35. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom stream Darkness". Prog. 2016-02-16. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  36. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom - Black Swan (video) (premiere)". PopMatters. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  37. 1 2 "Obsidian Kingdom - A Year with No Summer Review | Angry Metal Guy". Angry Metal Guy. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  38. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom – A Year With No Summer – The Power Of Metal.dk". powerofmetal.dk. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  39. ↑ "A Year With No Summer review at Metalitalia (in Italian)".
  40. ↑ "Ritxi Ostáriz › A Year With No Summer". Ritxi Ostáriz. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  41. ↑ "ELENA GALLEN". ELENA GALLEN. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  42. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom introduce guitarist Eaten Roll I". Prog. 2016-05-04. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  43. ↑ "Escucha el segundo LP de Obsidian Kingdom". MondoSonoro (in Spanish). 2016-03-02. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  44. ↑ "Obsidian Kingdom To Play Be Prog! My Friend Fest". Metalunderground.com. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  45. ↑ "Gojira y H2O se unen al cartel del Resurrection Fest". MondoSonoro (in Spanish). 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2016-05-11.
  46. ↑ "Intronaut, Shining & Obsidian Kingdom Announce European/UK Tour | Theprp.com – Metal And Hardcore News Plus Reviews And More". Theprp.com. 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2016-08-26.
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