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Album Reviews : Order of the Oblique – Layers

By on February 21, 2016

a2597491577_16There’s not enough post-metal in Australia. That’s a fact, not an opinion, don’t argue. So receiving a press release citing Cult of Luna and Russian Circles amongst influences, with recording and mastering from two members of YLVA was more than exciting.

The debut from Melbourne-based Order of the Oblique is a monster. Comprising of 3 tracks over 40 minutes, it’s dripping in massive riffs, yelled vocals and a luscious atmosphere. Rather than pure ambience or the usual clean guitars, the mellow aspect here is largely Tron-soundtrack-esque spacey keys, not unexpected given the album art but a nice twist. The Cult of Luna influence mentioned above is clearly apparent in the guitars, both in tone and riffs, with the vocals taking a slightly more hardcore approach; centrepiece “Magellanic Touch” featuring some tastefully used gang vocals and post-hardcore cleans.

Releases like Layers are tough to write about in expanded form. It doesn’t bring anything truly new to the genre, but it simply doesn’t need to. Like every genre there’s a rough blueprint where if done well enough results in something absolutely enjoyable, and Order of the Oblique have absolutely nailed it. And the keys throw enough of their own sound into it that they don’t come off as a hollow imitation.

Bottom line: if you like big, powerful post-metal then get this. If you don’t, get it anyway, it’s executed so well that it might be the one that changes your mind.

About

Mitch Booth is the owner, designer and grand overlord of Metal Obsession. In the few seconds of spare time he has outside of this site, he also hosts a metal radio show over on PBS 106.7fm in Melbourne (Australia) and organises shows under the name Untitled Touring. You should follow him on Twitter.