Obscene – Sermon to the Snake

Band – Obscene

Album – Sermon to the Snake

Country of Origin – USA

Genre – Death/Doom Metal

Release Date – January 18th, 2018

Label – HPGD Productions

Author – The Great Mackintosh

Sermon to the Snake is the first release from Indianapolis based Death/Doom outfit Obscene, an EP to be precise, because it only has four songs on it. Duh.

First impressions will maybe give you the same feeling it gave me. It is a little flat, so to speak. Elements of everything we crave as the lovers of this kind of music are in abundance, but nothing really stands out and knocks your proverbial socks off.

An interesting little package indeed. It contains all of the correct ingredients of the bands we most admire in this field, and it is quite obviously coming from the right place.The first track ‘Body of Tears’ has a bit of a Swe-Death swagger about it and your ears will prick up, but then it just does not deliver anything more exciting until ‘Torture Tranquility’ which again makes you wait for greatness and becomes a bit samey.

The vocal delivery is of a more mid range bark than I am used to hearing on a Death or Doom release, not at all ruinous, but also not terribly Doomy or even Deathy. Familiarity abounds instrumentally, and again nothing really stands out. Solidly played, solidly executed music, and showing a lot of potential indeed, but no game changer.

Most of the songs start out very strong and then seem to dissolve into well trodden paths. I like this. I’d like to say I love it, but I can’t. Solid is about the best I can give it, and being their first release one can only see them getting better. Their dedication to the cause is obvious and they are headed in the right direction. This is just the beginning after all.

Recommendation: Sermons are always worth a listen. We all take them our own way.

Rating: 2.5/5