How has it been three years since Ash in Realms of Stone Icons came out?  It feels like just yesterday that Tómarúm blasted onto the scene with their proprietary, electrifying brand of progressive blackened post death gaze whatever and wowed both myself and the metal world as a whole.  Since then, they have capitalized on their reputation of non-stop grinding and both became live mainstays as well as recording their sophomore follow-up, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria.  Predictably, this is no sophomore slump, and if anything, Tómarúm have only gotten better at the things they do so well in the intervening time.

Whereas Ash in Realms of Stone Icons was recorded primarily as the core duo of Kyle Walburn and Brandon Iacovella on guitars and vocals and then fleshed out with session musicians, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is the first release of Tómarúm as a proper quintet, with third guitarist Matthew Longerbeam, Michael Sanders on bass and Chris Stropoli on drums and programming.  Obviously including so many more people on the release could lead to a situation where different voices compete with each other, but the end result on Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is one of complete cohesion and adherence to what made their debut so great.  The album was written collaboratively with the whole band, and all the new musicians fit in like a glove into the fold of Tómarúm, especially Sanders, who takes over the role that really made Ash stand out to me as being something special.  In addition, now everyone in the band trades off vocals at some point, which is a very cool addition that lends itself perfectly to the narrative driven focus of Beyond Obsidian Euphoria.  Speaking of narratives, Euphoria picks up right where Ash left off in the concept (did you know Ash in Realms of Stone Icons was a concept album?  Because I’m just finding that out now), and deals with themes of nostalgia as a double-edged sword, the complexities of healing from psychological wounds and somber existence.

Musically, Beyond Obsidian Euphoria is a technical marvel.  The songwriting has just enough progressive twists to make it wholly intriguing and like few other bands performing currently.  There are plenty of heavy moments, but the requisite interludes and softer passages don’t feel like an afterthought like they do with a lot of other progressive bands; rather, there’s a care and dedication to the story that makes every transition feel necessary.  The technical aspects have been boosted, and the riffs are both catchy and crunchy, hoisted aloft by a healthy dose of soaring melodies and blazing runs.  The real star of the show, though, is the absolute heroics that Walburn, Iacovella and Longerbeam are pulling off here.  There seems to be a solo at almost every opportunity for one, and it’s the kind of absolutely marvelous technical wizardry that made me fall in love with heavy music in the first place.  Seriously, there are some of the most jaw dropping solos I’ve encountered in metal in a long time, and it’s almost impossible to do them justice with words or superlatives.  That is also to say nothing of the absolutely sickening amount of bass solos that also pepper the album, or Stropoli’s Herculean drum work.  The technical prowess on display here is nothing short of awe-inspiring, but the fact that it’s all backed up with brilliant songwriting is just icing on the cake.

There really is something undeniably and indescribably magical about Beyond Obsidian Euphoria.  I would be absolutely shocked if this didn’t make the top of the lists from every self-respecting music journalist and critic the world over, myself included.  It somehow manages to build on and top one of the most surprising, out-of-left-field releases I’ve had the pleasure of listening to countless times over, and solidifies Tómarúm as well ahead of the current class of metal bands going.  And that truly is saying something, but I mean that praise with all my heart.  You owe it to yourself to experience this one.

— Ian

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Beyond Obsidian Euphoria will be available April 4 on Prosthetic Records.  For more information on Tómarúm, visit their Facebook page.