Obliveon
Carnivore Mothermouth

December 2008
Released: 2007, Prodisk
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Waspman

So here we come to the end of a storied underground career. Obliveon, having slogged it out since 1987, managed to release their fourth album in 1999, before fading away and officially calling it quits in 2002. The band were always critical darlings, but for myriad reasons, just didn’t connect with the metal fan base at large. As for the music, CARNIVORE MOTHERMOUTH follows along the same path began on the transitional CYBERVOID album, as the dissonant, off-putting tones and riffs continue to be pushed to the fore, confounding many and pleasing the hardened few.

Still – respect. Most bands wouldn’t dare to try the things these guys did. Obliveon built an institution of twisted robotic riffery the likes of which few could equal. After all, this is truly heavy music, from the mechanistic production down to the chugging riffs and pulverizing drums. One listen to the title track here and you will be blown away. Whether the rest of this oddly down-tuned blosh (and Bruno Bernier’s monotone vocals) connect with your aural pathways is another matter altogether. For me, the initial amazement quickly turns to fatigue as song after song bleeds into a cacophony of atonality and mind-bending time shifts.

At the end of the day, Obliveon were for the chosen few. Like many trail blazers they more than earned their respect but were too far ahead of their time to be understood by the majority.