Unlimited Editions: Transcending Obscurity
April 2020
Transcending Obscurity logo
Listen to tracks from the back catalogue of the Indian label representing metal bands from across the globe
| PHOBOS “Biomorphorror” | 0:06:40 |
| Medium “Maximum Rampage” | 0:02:11 |
| Norse “Drowned By Hope” | 0:03:55 |
| Mindkult “Nightmares” | 0:03:41 |
| Wardaemonic “Act II - Admission” | 0:08:58 |
| Eternal Storm “Detachment” | 0:06:33 |
| Paganizer “They Came To Die” | 0:03:35 |
| Officium Triste “World In Flames” | 0:06:08 |
| Heads For The Dead “Serpent's Curse” | 0:04:57 |
| Nattravnen “Suicidium, The Seductress Of Death” | 0:03:59 |
| Et Moriemur “Dies Irae” | 0:04:12 |
| Dødsferd “An Existence Without Purpose” | 0:10:59 |
| Warcrab “Destroyer Of Worlds” | 0:04:47 |
| Arkheth “A Place Under The Sun” | 0:08:46 |
The latest edition of The Wire's monthly Unlimited Editions column, written by Neil Kulkarni, focuses in on Maharashtra based label Transcending Obscurity. Read the full article in The Wire 434. To accompany the feature, label founder Kunal Choksi selects and annotates tracks from his imprint's back catalogue, which, in light of the lockdown effects of the coronavirus, has been made available to download for free for the whole of April.
PHOBOS “Biomorphorror”
This French band is mixing industrial 'Godflesh-esque' music with black metal and the result is horrifying. Named after a moon of Mars, the atmosphere is hellish and the artwork of the album too is apt for the kind of music they're playing. I love this album to bits and it's hard to pick a favourite song as almost all of them are equally menacing and deeply engrossing, but I love the way this song starts off and immediately plunges you in a different mood.
Medium “Maximum Rampage”
PHOBOS “Biomorphorror”
This French band is mixing industrial 'Godflesh-esque' music with black metal and the result is horrifying. Named after a moon of Mars, the atmosphere is hellish and the artwork of the album too is apt for the kind of music they're playing. I love this album to bits and it's hard to pick a favourite song as almost all of them are equally menacing and deeply engrossing, but I love the way this song starts off and immediately plunges you in a different mood.
Medium “Maximum Rampage”
This Argentinian band is blending crust, punk, grind and even a bit of hardcore and death metal to create scintillating music that embraces aggression and even allows for rare melodies to shimmer though. It makes for a compelling, unforgettable listen each time.
Norse “Drowned By Hope”
Norse “Drowned By Hope”
Norse are one of my favourite bands and they approach black metal differently - it's almost like black metal played by Transformers. It's weirdly rhythmic and addictive, and once you get into it, it's difficult to snap out of it. The otherworldly atmosphere that the music exudes is stellar too.
Mindkult “Nightmares”
Mindkult “Nightmares”
This is a haunting track from Mindkult who play their own version of fucked up doom/shoegaze. This track stuck with me for years and it still evokes the same feeling as it first did. It's not as extreme as some of the other acts on the label but I don't care. It's all about the music at the end of day and this works just fine.
Wardaemonic “Act II - Admission”
Wardaemonic “Act II - Admission”
This is a perfect example of blending vicious blasting with atmospheric passages. Wardaemonic have made a name for themselves with the former but the progression on their latest album, Acts Of Repentance, is phenomenal. They've outdone themselves and given us what's possibly one of the best black metal albums of the year.
Eternal Storm “Detachment”
Eternal Storm “Detachment”
I'm not huge into melodic death metal but this band just blew me away. It's just immaculately done with a fine balance of aggression, atmosphere and melodies, and this song in particular exemplifies everything that makes this album work. It's just a very special band and I'm glad I'm working with them for the upcoming one as well.
Paganizer “They Came To Die”
Paganizer “They Came To Die”
This long-running band is special for us. We were given an opportunity to release an EP first but things went well and we went on to put out two more albums, including the latest highly acclaimed one, The Tower Of The Morbid, which this track is from. Normally this band plays fast, pummelling death metal but this track is just too good to not be highlighted - it's a welcome change from that kind of music, but what really got me is the opening riff and the emotive power it holds over the listener. I keep coming back to it for more. It's just a brilliant track, even though the band is great in its normal ferocious mode too.
Officium Triste “World In Flames”
Officium Triste “World In Flames”
This is a legendary death/doom metal band that deserves more respect. We're absolutely stoked to get a chance to put out one of their releases and this song here is from their latest album The Death Of Gaia on our label. It showcases everything that first made me fall in love with their music - classic death/doom with brilliant leads and an emotionally-charged atmosphere counterbalanced by some of the deepest roars and heavy, plodding parts.
Heads For The Dead “Serpent's Curse”
Heads For The Dead “Serpent's Curse”
This is a horror themed death metal band and this title track is probably one of the best album openers you could have. This set the tone for one of our label samplers and with just this one song, the band got terrific momentum for their release despite it being only their debut. Even their new album sounds phenomenal and should be out some time this year.
Nattravnen “Suicidium, The Seductress Of Death”
Nattravnen “Suicidium, The Seductress Of Death”
This is again one of those songs that will hook you in with just the opening part. This one has keyboards to create an enchanting atmosphere and the vocals of the death metal legend Kam Lee of Massacre just takes it to another level. I keep revisiting this song and it always ends up giving me goosebumps.
Et Moriemur “Dies Irae”
Et Moriemur “Dies Irae”
This Czech band indulges in Gregorian chants and employs additional musicians playing different instruments to create a surreal, captivating atmosphere. It transports you to a different era completely. Their album Epigrammata is one of my favourites as far as death/doom/black metal style goes.
Dødsferd “An Existence Without Purpose”
Dødsferd “An Existence Without Purpose”
This is a deeply harrowing but brilliantly executed song from the Greek black metal band Dødsferd. The emotions here are all too palpable and also the anguish. It's an album for the times, expressing mostly scorn for the despicable actions of humans and also moments of respite probably for the few pardonable ones.
Warcrab “Destroyer Of Worlds”
Warcrab “Destroyer Of Worlds”
I absolutely love this juggernaut of a track. Warcrab from the UK blend death metal with sludge and the result is earth-shattering. Three guitarists only add to the mind-numbing heaviness, and one can only feel the world around him trembling whenever this song comes on. The band also delves into longer, sludgier songs but I enjoy this one tremendously.
Arkheth “A Place Under The Sun”
Arkheth “A Place Under The Sun”
Arkheth are definitely one of my favourite black metal bands. They happen to play experimental music with weird and unpredictable but oddly coherent song structures and also incorporate saxophone solos and clean singing in their music which is essentially atmospheric black metal. This here is the album closer and surely an epic way to end this brilliant and perennially overlooked release.
Seedna “Wander”
Seedna “Wander”
This is an epic 22 minute track that's some of the best black metal you'll hear. It's atmospheric black metal with elements of post metal you can say but the way the song builds up, the way it maintains the momentum and your interest for its lengthy duration and of course how it all leads up to a fitting climax is enthralling to say the least. It's been a few years since we put this one out but it still remains as potent as ever.
Wire subscribers can read Neil Kulkarni's full report on Transcending Obscurity via the digital archive.
Wire subscribers can read Neil Kulkarni's full report on Transcending Obscurity via the digital archive.
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