Banishing pretentious ideology and replacing it with pure heavyness – that's German fourpiece Obelyskkh's mission in a nutshell. Even the capital letters of their band name testify to their preference for a monumental sound and for epic pieces carved in granite. In sync with this philosophy, 'Mount Nysa' is not just their first studio album, but a sonic statement capturing the full intensity of their live performances.
The stage, after all, is where the formation built their reputation as one of the leaders of Germany's vibrant Doom - and Sludge scene and where they spent three years defining, refining and honing their vision of a personal genre that can only be approximated with bizarre, self-coined terms like "Stoner-Doom-Noise-Psych-Fukking-Raw". As a result of this long-term approach, 'Mount Nysa' sounds every bit as ferocious and "real" as the first note they ever played – and nonetheless far tighter and focused than one might have expected from a debut.
It is a paradox explained by the way 'Mount Nysa' came into being. All of the five tracks contained on the album originated during jam - and recording sessions in the Obelyskkh rehearsal room, but were then fleshed out by the band and mastered to perfection by engineer and producer Billy Anderson (known from his work for the likes of Neurosis, Mr. Bungle, Eyehategod, Melvins and others). Through their combined efforts, the result doesn't just come across as loud and awe-inspiring, but always allows for nuanced dynamics and even some introvert and melancholic passages.
The latter are by no means mere interludes, but first hints at processes boiling underneath the surface, of an interest in Kraut - and Space Rock as well as brutal Metal gradually manifesting itself in sound. As such, 'Mount Nysa' may only capture a brief moment in the work of a band that is still continually evolving. But what a massive and promising moment it is.
'Mount Nysa' has been released by Droehnhaus and comes with a gatefold cover. Additionally, Obelyskkh will play a couple of gigs in the next months. Check out the dates at this location.