Album art for “19 Dead”
The first introduction I had to the band Obsidian came just days before the 2020 pandemic lock downs. It was the last live show I would see for almost two years, and it was one that left a lasting impression to this day. Arriving on the scene from Wilton Manors, FL, Obsidian presented themselves as a deathrock band unafraid to embrace the sound of the genre and the more theatrical trappings of both stage rock performances and funerary goth fashion. Having the opportunity to hang out with the band and observe their live performance provided a real retreat and temporary repreive for what was looming ahead for all of us in the “real world”. Bassist Dent A Gon and keyboardist Kathy Diaz made sure the crowd was having a good time both on and off stage, going wireless to play their instruments while walking around and working up the audience. Lead guitarist and front person Missy Mortis plied their trade with an aggressive seduction that I think few in their position dare to take nowadays. And so it was, the personalities on stage matched the people I’ve come to know and call friends over the years.
Missy Mortis - Vocals and Lead Guitar
So here we are, nearly four years later, and Obsidian is a band I can say I’ve watched live more than I can count or remember. For full disclosure, it’s safe to say I’m familiar with most of their material and how it should sound. I’ve seen them play “okay” and I’ve also watched them put on some killer shows. I’ve also done one music video reaction/review for the Obscura Undead YouTube channel of their song “Vultures”. Which now leads to this new era of the band’s discography. At the beginning of this year, Obsidian released their latest 8 track offering with the album “19 Dead” on Bandcamp.
This latest release brings a mixed bag with it. The opening track, “Night Director”, is a fine enough song. Perhaps even one of my favorites from their earlier work. It’s dark and sexy, skirting with love, death, and perhaps necrophilia. The issue with this though, is that they’re rehashing out the gate with a song they’ve put out already on several other releases. This version of the song feels a little more cleaned up on the production end, allowing each instrument moments to shine. It’s from here out though, that I feel the album begins to feel wildly uneven. The album’s unfortunate downfall comes two pronged – the uncertain direction in sound they’re wanting to take, and the overall mixing done on the tracks.
Dent A Gon - Bassist
Knowing the band and having many conversations about this, my understanding is that they are interested in tackling more post-punk and darkwave synth driven sounds, skewing away from their origins in deathrock. I don’t know if this is a completely bad thing, but it does give the album a feeling of being all over the map sonically. Of course, all of these genres are fine, but it does lend to the impression the band is still figuring out their identity in many ways. The positive on that is that it shows growth, vulnerability, and introspection for them as artists. The question though, is will this alienate their fanbase? What doesn’t aid this transitional tone for Obsidian is how the album was mixed and mastered. There are moments when listening that the arrangements become a cacophony, leaving one distracted from the overall message of the performers and the songs themself. For example, the song “Memories” has beautiful musical elements surrounding it, with the steady bass lines from Dent, to Kathy’s sleek keyboards brought to the forefront, and Missy’s impassioned vocals and lyrics. The band teased this song on social media as part of their advertising for the new album and I was eagerly looking forward to hearing it. What’s missing from this song, however, is how these pieces are put together on the track, with some instruments drowning out others and each piece seeming to compete for the listener’s attention.
Kathy Diaz - Keyboards
“19 Dead” is not a horrible album though. Outside of the reprisal of “Night Director”, this new offering provides songs that hit the sweet spot for repeat listening. The aforementioned “Memories” provides such a haunting chorus laced in the overall sadness of personal loss. In the song “Apathies for a Sinking City”, the band delivers a scathing take-down of their own neighboring city of Miami, creating a dark 80’s synth driven lament. “Angel” leads to reflection on betrayal of a cheating lover and reclaiming one’s own personal and sexual power, set to icy synths and chorus-dripped guitars, with Missy’s confident vocals growling out vengefully.
So where does this review go from here? My take is that if you enjoy any of the deathrock or more synth driven post-punk subgenres, “19 Dead” is worth the listen and purchase. The band has a direction they’re moving in and the un-even feel in the sound mixing that is present isn’t a total mood killer, though it can be distracting in places on this album. Obsidian is more than capable of wonderfully dark and spooky music and I believe moving forward with the right production, they can deliver their gloom and doom shows for at-home and club listening alike.
Obsidian Live Performance