Following a stellar debut EP in 2012, UK-based death metal quartet Obscene Entity now return with their formal debut album, Lamentia, to be released through Tridroid Records. Loosely based around various states of psychosis and states of the human mind, Lamentia is a very solid album with no true chinks in its armor. Blending the frenetic rhythms and dissonance of Immolation with the polished sheen of modern death metal and tight technical execution, Obscene Entity dial back some of the speedfreak tendencies of their first EP to focus on coherence, songwriting, and ferocious grooves. 

Lamentia is smart, well-delivered death metal that capitalizes on its battering mid-pace grooves and blasts by using a thick but polished mix. Drummer Luke Braddick does an excellent job of winding fills and syncopated kick drum patterns around the riffs of guitarist/vocalist Matt Adnett, who weaves together the ugliness of old school death metal with the technical proficiency of bands like Vader and Behemoth. On par with the band’s chemistry, Obscene Entity are adept at creating dynamics through transitioning tempos and riffs at just the right moment. Interestingly, some of the slower moments evoke bands like Gojira and Chimaira without sounding plagiaristic or tired — “Hymns of the Faithless” being a prime example — and when the band go full-on, it’s furious — see the title track for exhibit A.  While their debut EP was excellent, Lamentia is a better deal all around, with the band finding balance between all of the various elements that make them distinct.

Obscene Entity’s synthesis of the old and the new yields songs that are memorable and brutal: “Euphoric Vanity” stands out particularly, with its syncopated blast beats giving way to bloodthirsty grooves and back into death/thrash territory, while “Insanity Binds” blends Carcass-esque riffwork into a drum-driven section with soaring leads that would fit any Behemoth album. “Black Blood” warrants comparisons to Napalm Death with its dual vocal layering and dissonant, buzzing riffs, and on the whole, the album succeeds in combining this many elements into a cohesive whole. Further aided by the lyrical concepts, Lamentia starts out brutal yet accessible, slowly winding down to more dissonant and rhythmic songs toward the end of the second half; closer “Stripped of All and Everything” is the longest and most ambitious track, its swinging grooves and infectious riffs serving as a compelling resolution.

The overall mix here is polished and clean, with the guitar tone particularly of note. Matt Adnett and Calum Gibb trade vocal duties, layering savage, fiery low-register growls over a higher, frantic shriek to great effect, and Braddick’s drums, while highly processed, are punchy and precise. The bass tone is a bit too “clangy” for my ears, but that’s a very minor quibble aside from the heavy compression on the mix, which sometimes limits the impact of the music. (Over a good pair of speakers, though, this album slams.) The conviction behind the delivery here is what makes Lamentia such a good album, and its power is not obscured by any attempts to sound “cavernous” or subterranean like many death metal bands coming out of the woodwork these days. It relies on its brute force to make its point and does so wonderfully.

While I’m sure that many people have already started saving drafts of their EOY lists, leave some room for Lamentia to work its magic. A sophisticated and smart blend of groove, brutality, and technical prowess, it’s absolutely a debut album worth investing in, and at only 33 minutes in running time, warrants repeat listens to reap the real brains behind everything that’s happening here.

– Dustin

Lamentia will be released through Tridroid Records on cassette and CD on 11.27.15 and is available for pre-order. For more information on Obscene Entity, visit them on Facebook.