Obsequiae
Suspended in the Brume of Eos

Suddenly, the day turned dark. The sky was veiled by a thick blanket of clouds, so dense and thick that not a single ray of the hot summer sun could penetrate through. The farmers, though engaged in their work, all quickly raised their heads, astonished by the occurrence; the children in the town square froze their games, some pointing to the vanished sun, others calling loudly for their mothers; shopkeepers, travelers, poor and rich halted their activities and in amazement stopped to watch the unusual (and terrible) event unfolding. It was the bells of the cathedral that woke them from their stupor, continuous, hurried, frantic chimes, as if even God himself, materialized in the metal of the bell, was trembling with fear. The people shuddered and ran screaming into their homes: the animals fled everywhere in fright, and those that didn’t flee sought death by plunging into the nearby river. Men and women, princes and beggars tried their best to gather their few belongings and barricade themselves indoors as quickly as possible.

And the Four Horsemen came from the sky. The clouds suddenly tore open, revealing a blazing horizon, crossed by a king on a magnificent white horse: the king began to hurl flaming arrows everywhere, and it was the Apocalypse.

He was followed by an angry steed with a blood-red coat, ridden by a warrior wielding a sword, and with every swing, someone died, with every swing a man killed another man, and it was War.

Famine then came, on his pitch-black horse, with his scales in hand dictating the fate of humanity: barley and wheat became immensely expensive, while the nobles continued to feast at the poor's expense.

And finally, it was Death, with his sickly, sallow horse: his trail left behind corpses, famine, and pestilence, and few managed to survive him.

The passage of the Four Horsemen decimated the town's population, which fell into a deep sleep, only to awaken days later, bereft of its dearest ones.

...and on a beach not far away, a game of chess had just begun...

The term "castle metal" circulates around Obsequiae's music: if we indeed think of how they manage to incorporate, in their epic folk tinged with black metal (or vice versa), acoustic inserts and interludes played with classical medieval instruments (among them, the hurdy-gurdy), evoking atmospheres and settings from that historical period, the definition seems apt. To simplify it all, however, it's enough to think of this "Suspended in the Brume Of Eos" as an excellent folk black metal album, following in the footsteps of American groups like, for example, the Falls Of Rauros (with whom the band shares not only the label but also a passion for acoustic arrangements and folk).

A truly well-played album, by musicians who know their craft, this debut full-length from the Americans shouldn’t be underestimated or listened to without attention: Obsequiae's album proves to be rich in nuances and intriguing twists with every listen, revealing itself as a record capable of gradually winning you over and lingering long in your player.