Arguably Pennsylvania’s steel best-kept secret, Crobot has been hammering around the panorama of grimy challenging rock, sprinkled with groove-heavy riffs and psychedelic undertones for slightly a couple of years now – 13 to be actual. Their tune harks again to the technology when rock, from the early ’70s to the ’90s, used to be a business power that would rival the dominant pop traits of the time, ceaselessly flirting every now and then with a extra steel prefer.
Then again, of their 5th studio album Obsidian, the ones inclinations develop into a lot bolder and main, blurring the strains between their fuzz-driven trademark sound and high-octane steel, courtesy of the crunchy and doom-laden guitarwork and the serious and dynamic crooning of frontman Brandon Yeagley.
Obsidian moves a compelling steadiness between depth and accessibility, handing over its commanding message throughout 11 tight, punchy tracks, with a number of of them carrying a grunge-infused vibe in the most efficient vein of Alice In Chains or Soundgarden‘s maximum steel choices, with out dropping their very own id.
From the hole salvo, the explosive identify monitor “Obsidian,” Crobot wastes no time in laying down heavy grooves, however the purpose right here is not only about packing a punch but in addition about crafting a wealthy, immersive environment that hat pulls the listener into their sonic universe. There may be extra to the album than sheer power: the stoner-rock-loaded manufacturing, the unpredictable keyboard elaborations, and Yeagley‘s flamboyant wails all paintings in unison to conjure a virtually space-opera vibe exuding a playful mystique.
It is challenging to select a favourite reduce, as Obsidian flows seamlessly, interchanging its musical panorama with the similar precision because the ache strokes of a seasoned painter, which may really feel erratic but are utterly useful. Sludgy and heavy moments, just like the Black Sabbath-tinged min-epic “Come Down,” – the place the band sounds extra menacing and darker than ever earlier than – are interspersed with guitar-driven, groove-heavy anthems like “Disappear” and the Top On Hearth-inspired “Historical Druid Crowd.”
Pummeling fast moving juggernauts like “Not anything” and “Steel” harken again to their maximum acquainted sound, accentuating earworm choruses courtesy of Yeagley almost-theatrical vocals as he wails “I’m steel, using in the course of the evening with the satan, signed a freelance in blood to reside endlessly, I’m METAL!”… it hardly ever will get extra self-explanatory.
A few standout moments come from the hand of “Head Of The Beast”, a reduce that dives headfirst into full-blown steel territory with aplomb and sure bet, channeling the eerie, doom-loaded air of secrecy of Black Sabbath‘s early albums – albeit with a a lot more trendy sound – and the slower-paced bluesy “The Flood”, which every now and then exudes Electrical Wizard influences.
All through all of it, Yeagley‘s colourful vocal vary is entrance and middle, even though Bishop‘s unique riffs and sizzling solos, and the thunderous rhythm segment — anchored through drummer Dan Ryan and bassist Pat Seals — are similarly important in crafting the album’s towering sound.
Crobot has all the time operated on a special wavelength from their friends, unafraid to push obstacles, and Obsidian is an album that would simply win over even essentially the most die-hard heavy steel purists. “Obsidian is nearly a rebirth of our profession,” Yeagley said, however I would cross so far as to mention that it feels extra like their best hour, achieving the heights they have got been aiming for all through the previous decade. The sheer energy and effort of Bishop‘s blistering guitar paintings, mixed with Yeagley‘s intricate vocals and the album’s otherworldly and adventurous storytelling, puts Obsidian firmly among the finest releases of 2024.