CoC : Obscenity - Demo-Niac : Review

Obscenity - _Demo-Niac_
(Morbid Records, 1999)
by: Paul Schwarz (7 out of 10)

I doubt that the two Obscenity demos (_Amputated Souls_ and _Age of Brutality_) which make up this release are, as Morbid Records claim, "the most demand rarity's in the Death Metal scene" (direct quote), but for their time (1991 and 1993 respectively, I believe) they are not too shabby. The first, _Amputated Souls_, begins with the same sample of singing used, bizarrely enough, at the beginning of hip-hop group The Fugees' hit 1997 track "Ready or Not" (which I'm told is from Enya) -- this does make it a little confusing at first, but mostly what this intro does is illustrate (through its full, pronounced sound) how tinny the sound of _Amputated Souls_ is. Musically, it is somewhat derivative, even for the time, and overall offers little but nostalgia for Obscenity fans to get excited about. _Age of Brutality_ is much better. I really like the pulsing drum sound achieved on this release and though the songs are, again, not light years, or even a hair's breadth, quite honestly, in front of the death metal fore-front of the time, there are still some good leads, well performed brutal vocals, and insane, powerful drums, to kick you in the ass. Definitely one for fans of Obscenity, and also worthy of investigation if you are particularly nostalgic about your death metal.

(article published 12/8/1999)

ALBUMS
12/8/2000	P Schwarz	6.5	Obscenity - Intense

GIGS
20/7/2003	J Smit	Six Feet Under / Obscenity	Unleashing True Carnage