Suffocate the Skies – Obsidian Shores
Kansas-based American symphonic/melodic death metal band Suffocate the Skies, delivers a massive journey into the cold, cosmic abyss with its new record Obsidian Shores. The album offers a vast, layered soundscape that merges the aggression of death metal and cinematic grandeur of symphonic, melodic music.
Perhaps one should start by saying that the strongest aspect of Obsidian Shores is its dense, layered structures. The guitar work of the Zeb Hayes and Matt Sikes strikes an exquisite balance between the catchy melodic passages and harsh, razor sharp chuggings. The keyboard and synth arrangements (also by Matt Sikes, who also designed the album cover too) backing the guitar and drum bombardments, deepen the atmosphere by giving the music a more cinematic feel. Apart from this solid framework, vocalist Adam Faris’s transitions between brutal and scream vocals fuel both the narrative and the dynamism, saving Obsidian Shores‘ lengthy compositions from becoming monotonous. Frankly, even though his vocals sometimes have a bit too much of a hardcore flavor for me, I would much prefer Faris’s performance over a standard, monolithic melodic death metal vocal.
Despite its packed with rich compositions and many layers, Obsidian Shores is a dark work, formed by a nihilistic perspective. Those cold and furious moments dragging us nobly close to black metal territory— which I believe draw inspiration from concepts like mortality and cosmic insignificance alongside the track titles and lyrics—Suffocate the Skies seems to invite the listener to the absolute peace within the darkness, rather than a path of salvation. Tracks like Vanitas, featuring some of the rare clean vocal moments on the record and stands out with its heavy bass and subsequent exquisite black metal passage, and Veil, which feels like it was torn straight out of the ’90s, serve as excellent examples for experiencing this darker side of the band. More straightforward melodeath songs like …Acolyte of the Occult feels like a darker Wolfheart, and it feels amazing.
On the other hand, it is hard to call Obsidian Shores flawless in terms of production and album structure. The somewhat formulaic similarities and the reliance on similar crescendos and build-ups throughout its rather lengthy 51-minute runtime can lead to ear fatigue after a while. The production—which could be considered sterile, and while not exactly compressed, somewhat suffocating as it morphs into a wall of sound—doesn’t do the listener many favors in this regard either
With a slightly rawer, more breathable production and about 10 minutes shaved off its runtime, Obsidian Shores would have likely made its way onto my year-end list with ease; however, even as it stands, Suffocate the Skies has delivered a release from 2026 that will stick in my memory. It is a dense, rich, and powerful piece of work, and if you like your extreme metal symphonic, melodic, and dark, I highly recommend giving it a spin.
