Obscura

Hailing from the Bavarian town of Landshut, the German ensemble Obscura forged a striking fusion of technical death metal and progressive thrash that earned widespread acclaim upon unveiling their first album, Retribution, in 2006. Although the lineup has featured an ever-shifting array of accomplished musicians, guitarist and vocalist Steffan Kummerer—recognized for his custom-shaped, seven-string Ran guitar—has remained the sole unchanging presence, guiding the band across more than ten years and shaping distinctive extreme metal releases such as Omnivium (2011) and Diluvium (2018), works noted equally for their ingenuity and intensity. Following further personnel shifts, the group delivered A Valediction in 2021.

Kummerer established Obscura in 2002, drawing the name from a 1998 release by the Canadian band Gorguts, an act he cites among key influences that also include Cynic, Pestilence, and Morbid Angel. He devoted the following years to writing the material for Retribution, forgoing the usual extreme metal route of circulating demos and playing club shows. The musicians who joined him in the studio—guitarist Markus Lempsch, bassist Jonas Fischer, and drummer Jonas Baumgartl—served only as session players and departed once the independently issued album garnered strong critical approval. Its success sparked a bidding war among labels, leading Kummerer to place the project with Relapse for the follow-up, Cosmogenesis. That record likewise drew enthusiastic responses from metal listeners and showcased a fresh roster of skilled performers: guitarist Christian Münzner, drummer Hannes Grossman (previously of Necrophagist), and bassist Jeroen Paul Thesseling, long associated with Pestilence.

Obscura released the well-regarded Omnivium in 2011, after which additional changes occurred. Bassist Linus Klausenitzer took over from Thesseling soon after the album appeared; drummer Sebastian Lanser joined for a 2014 tour; and guitarist Tom Geldschläger entered the fold. The first recordings made by this configuration surfaced as Akróasis in early 2016. Rafael Trujillo, a technically gifted jazz guitarist brought in during 2015, made his recorded debut on the band’s fifth album, Diluvium, issued in 2018.

Three further departures took place in 2020 amid creative disagreements. Guitarist Johannes Renning, a member since 2007, and bassist Klausenitzer exited, while Münzner and Thesseling returned to the lineup. Lanser also left and was succeeded by David Diepold of Cognizance. This configuration entered the studio in April 2021 to record A Valediction. The eleven-track collection included a guest lead vocal appearance by Björn “Speed” Strid, formerly of Soilwork and currently with Act of Denial, on the song “When Stars Collide.” Nuclear Blast issued the album that November.