Live Review: Obscura - Rebellion, Manchester
16th February 2025
Words: Matthew Williams
Photos: Rich Price
Having seen a few different types of posters for this gig on social media, I didn’t know whether there were 3 or 4 bands appearing tonight, all I did know was that technical death metal isn’t my favourite genre. However, having heard the latest Obscura album, I was excited about the prospect of seeing them for the first time, as the new songs were very impressive.
Entering Rebellion, I saw the set times with 3 band names, the opening one being the French technical death metal band, Gorod. With singer Julien Deyres informing us that they “haven’t been here for 7 years” and due to “technical issues we are without Nico” he puts in a great performance as a frontman, and the guitar work from Mathieu Pascal is a joy to watch, as the fret tapping is off the scale.
They go through a range of songs including “Axe of God”, which has insane drumming from Karol Diers, “We are the Sun Gods”, which has a blistering bass line from Benoit Claus, an added drum solo, and then more guitar wizardry from Pascal on “The Orb” which has a space age feel to the beginning, and sees the guitarist and bass player in a sort of face off with the song flowing so well.
“This is the last one from us tonight, and its tradition, as we are an old band, that we end with a sing song, and it goes out to all of you, this is called “Disavow Your God” and they rip through one hell of a heavy song, with the crowd taking it all in. A decent way to start the evening.
Second support slot of the evening went to death metallers Skeletal Remains, who were simply lighting fast from start to finish. With the scary intro music signalling the beginning of their set, and bathed in red lights for most of it, they were very impressive to watch. They opened with “Void of Despair” I think, but from there on in I was lost in the brutality of their music.
There was no messing about, and with the second song, “Relentless Appetite” the pit was in full flow as vocalist Chris Monroy encouraged them to “get that shit going”. The drumming from Pierce Williams was machine gun like in its delivery and pinpoint in its accuracy. “What the fuck is up? Thanks for being here, we are Skeletal Remains from Los Angeles” says Monroy, before they go off again.
They blast through the set at a rapid pace, with songs that see the pit grow bigger and wilder, with security ejecting one person and Williams shouting in between songs, “keep dancing out there, you guys look great”. There was one instrumental song which saw all three headbanging in unison, and it felt warrior like before they finished with the brutal “Unmerciful” which saw the pit going mental and delivered a powerful ending to a great set.
With the stage shrouded in darkness, and intro music playing, Obscura drummer Clement Denys appears behind his kit, and with Hugo Doyon-Karout playing his 6 string headless bass, the puffs of smoke and scream from Steffen Kummerer starts off opener “Forsaken” and oh boy, is it impressive stuff. The solos from Wilquin are crazy and like a missile they launch straight into “Silver Linings”. The fret work in stunning to watch up close, with both Kummerer and Wilquin a joy to behold.
“Thank you very much, it’s a pleasure to be back in Manchester. We are going back to the “Delivium” album with “Emergent Evolution”, and this is a belter of a track. Full of intricate bass work and the band taking it in turns to lead from the front of the stage, so everyone gets to see them at their best, doing what they love. “Do you want to hear something new?” asks Kummerer, which is met with loud approval, “this is one of those ballads called “In Solitude” which it certainly isn’t, but I enjoyed the humour.
“Are you enjoying yourselves?” he asks again with a beaming smile across his face, “we are going back to another one of those ballads” and with an echo on his vocal Kummerer screams “Devoured Usurper”, which has oodles of blistering double bass from Denys and the crowd all huddled in the middle of the venue, headbanging along before the pit emerges once again.
“Was anyone here for the Decapitated tour? Good to see you again. If so, you’ll remember this one” which I think was “Akroasis” and more insanely awesome solos from Wilquin. Kummerer loves to chat in between songs, which is great, and he introduces “The Sun Eater” by saying “this is some old school death metal from the new album” and it was the best song of the night for me. Just totally bonkers, and incredible to view live.
With Doyon-Karout hand gesturing for a circle pit, the crowd go into overdrive and for the last few songs, it’s a bit chaotic and it’s great to see so many smiling faces. “It’s a fucking awesome Sunday night. Thank you, Manchester,” says a cheery Kummerer, “but our night is short, just like this set, so this is the final song “When Stars Collide” and off they go. It was played at a mental speed and ends with Wilquin jumping off the stage and finishing off the song playing in the middle of the pit.
Photo Credits: Rich Price Photography
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