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An Obscure Signal: Creations EP

Technical Death Metalcore

2.5/5.0

Independent/Self-Promotion
www.myspace.com/anobscuresignal
Review: Craig Hartranft,  08.09.2010

On their MySpace, An Obscure Signal notes: We're doing what we love, plain and simple. I am so glad, because I don't know what they're attempting to do on this five song EP Creations. Possibly organized chaos, or simply trying to incorporate every possible current modern heavy metal trend. You've got fercious, and quite annoying, death metal growls and screams over deliberate amounts of death/thrash metal, some metalcore, a very miniscule amount of melody and clean vocals, and all wrapped up in some psuedo-progressive and technical arrangements. Try reading that sentence really fast.

As a whole, the album and its individual songs are barely listenable. With a single spin Creations (a near misnomer) sounds more like organized musical anarchy, a general assualt, or better, a large middle finger in the face of your musical intelligence. I don't think AOS intends to piss you off, be rude, or generally annoy, but they succeed very well at it.

Nevertheless, on a positve side, every song has moments of brilliance, most notably within Nature of Monsters and Time Left, thanks to some well-timed less cacophonous intricacy and actual melody and harmony. Actually, there's some clever fret work within Expirations and Villians. But, in the end, An Obscure Signal's Creations is essentially a nonsensical rhetoric invoking every modern metal trend, and little else. Where do the go from here? Beats me. They've done it all already. But I am happy that they're doing what they love.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

In the end, An Obscure Signal's Creations is essentially a nonsensical rhetoric invoking every modern metal trend, and little else.

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The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]