Oubliette’s ferociously dark metal project The Passage marks the fourth studio album in the band’s discography. Oubliette has managed to establish itself in Murfreesboro’s metal scene by sculpting a sound of epic proportions, and The Passage, released in 2018, is a fine example of what melodic dark metal is all about.
“Refined chaos” is the short description that comes to mind. Anticipate a sinister first impression. Oubliette fires off the record with “A Pale Innocence,” skipping any hand-holding introductions. The tone gets very confrontational rather quickly. The drums, performed by Greg Vance, come rolling in like a collapsing bridge of successive thunderclaps. Everything swarms in hot, and Oubliette doesn’t let up. Within seconds, the band makes a statement, inspiring emotion before uttering the first word.
There certainly isn’t a shortage of intricate guitar instrumentation on the album. Oubliette—a six-piece black metal band that counts Dissection, Moonsorrow, Alcest, Enslaved and In Flames among its influences—has three guitarists contributing to the album, Mike Low, Todd Harris and Andrew Wampler.
The band took full advantage of a wide stereo image and a full spectrum of great sound. The Passage was recorded and mixed by Low, before being mastered by Zak Denham. The talented pair of engineers also produced the band’s previous titles in the discography, producing an impressive wall of dense sound.
The sonic material is rock-solid and well-maintained, but to me the songwriting seems to lack any sort of allure. Unlike the fantastic instrumentation, it feels as if we’re left wanting more substance from the songs.
Contrary to what some outside of the genre may think, there are many admirable qualities about black metal. Oubliette is an excellent example. The raw energy that drips from every song is worth marveling at. After all, music runs on emotions. And the instrumental technicality is impressive as well. Many perceive this style of music as “violent” or “harsh,” but there is a lot to admire about Oubliette, including its amazing grasp of complex metal arrangements.
The Passage is available in three colored vinyl options (each color variant is limited to 100 each). To listen online, visit oubliette.bandcamp.com.
