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Ne Obliviscaris – Fowlers, Adelaide 11 Dec 2015
You can tell a band that has been touring solidly, because they have the combination of weariness and confidence etched across their faces. Working their way across Europe since August and now back home to finish the tour. From a solid outing at Soundwave early in the year, Ne Obliviscaris (NeO) have made huge inroads in creating a solid fan-base. With six accomplished musicians onstage and vocals that are both melodic and extreme there is enough variety, depth and passion to keep tonight’s audience enthralled.
The audience is ready to go and the band fire on stage and rip into it. A wall of band members at stage front, creating a surge of sound and the audience responds. Ne Obliviscaris are a progressive metal band that create worlds with huge soundscapes that ebb and flow, both dark and light. The audience are immediately drawn in. I’m sitting behind the band watching the front row of the crowd, arms over the barrier, they are transfixed from the off. The setlist is familiar and very similar to the Soundwave performance but at every cue the crowd responses and the band feeds off the energy.
With six musicians in the band an interesting play off happens. Two guitarist play off against each other, the guitar feeds off the violin but it’s when the melodic vocals of Tim Charles face off against the extreme vocals of Xenoyr that the band expands in power. It’s like a challenge-response with each pushing the band on through songs that they have played many times over the last 4 months but they remain fresh, like playing new music for the first time. The songs from Citadel, the bands 2014 crowd-funded release, are well represented in the set and are played with venom. The three parts of ‘Painters of the Tempest’ are sublime and great to hear ‘Devour Me, Colossus’, complete and live.
The band had a few technical issues during the night but it was irrelevant. The performance was solid, passionate and delivered with an intensity that tells you that they believe in what they create. The audience we transfixed by Ne Obliviscaris and they rocked out, completely compliant to the worlds and stories created on stage. This band now have to take all this experience and passion and create another recording of the same power and scope as Citadel. Now is the time to do it because on the strength of this performance they will have another quality recording that takes progressive music in new directions.
I have had a big night, first Plini and now Ne Obliviscaris, both worthy additions to my love of prog. But the night was made for me by one of the most passionate fans that I have ever come across. I’m sure that if Ne Obliviscaris made top-to-toe merch then this guy would have it. Thanks mate for joining me in the photography pit and thanks for giving me lyrics, both melodic and with the growls, directly into my earhole. That’s quite a talent you have there. But, hey, that’s what it’s all about. It’s the passion and the fire in the belly that this music brings. Looking forward to the next album guys – can’t wait. Plus best of luck supporting Cradle of Filth in North America – that’ll be one to watch, with Ne Obliviscaris and Butcher Babies sharing the bill.
Ne Obliviscaris are:-
Xenoyr – Lead Vocals & Lyrics
Tim Charles – Violin & Clean Vocals
Matt Klavins – Guitar
Cygnus – Bass
Benjamin Baret- Lead guitar
Dan Presland – Drums
Reviewed by – Craig Grant
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