Northlane's ‘Obsidian’ is a Natural Progression for the Australian Metalcore Giants
Northlane have been rocking down under for over ten years and have kept at it by tackling their hardships head-on. The band’s original singer, Adrian Fitipaldes, developed health problems that caused him to quit the band. Many groups would have lit the funeral pyre and turned to smoke when faced with such an obstacle, but not Northlane. They held a worldwide vocalist audition in 2014, and the competition was fierce. Just look at the list of candidates: Tom Weaver from Casey, Erik Bickerstaffe of Loathe, Cade Armstrong, Antek Olech from Mentally Blind, and Shaun Coar of As Paradise Falls, to name a few of the talented vocalists. Northlane chose Marcus Bridge to fill the enormous shoes of Adrian, and it looks like they made the right choice. Over the past few years, their successful streak includes their metalcore masterpiece Node in 2015, and their following two records, Mesmer and Alien, all winning the Australian ARIA Music Award for Best Hard Rock or Heavy Metal Album.
Their new album Obsidian is here, and it hits like a volcanic eruption, certain to set you ablaze if you’re open to EDM and synths in your metalcore. It is still built on everything Northlane is known for: djent guitars and bass, driving drums, a progressive metalcore sound, and powerful and soaring vocals courtesy of Marcus. The synthesizers that also play a prominent role in Obsidian give it an overall industrial and nu-metal flavor.
Before diving into the album, the crystal clear and hard-as-obsidian mix provided by Adam “Nolly” Getgood needs to be acknowledged. Everything sits in the mix as it should: the vocals are prominent, the bass carries the low-end with the kick drum, and the guitars provide a perfect mid-range punch while pushing aggression and intensity with the drums.
Obsidian opens with “Clarity”, which feels like an egg laid by their previous album Alien to continue what it started. It begins with gentler synth and vocals, like the Alien is incubating, only to later burst out with blast beats and screams. Their drummer, Nic Pettersen, must have been training for months before this album in order to hold that blast beat for so long. Following track “Clockwork” has been selected by Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege as the official theme song at 2022’s Oceanic Nationals eSports League. Anyone who has played that game would agree that “Clockwork” is the perfect choice. Not only does the song match the pulse-pounding action of the game, the opening lyrics, “I’m running out of time,” describe how you feel while playing. The synth provides an ostinato in the beginning and in the chorus that allows the vocals and instruments to play off it nicely. The hook for “Clockwork” is incredibly catchy, and you might find yourself singing along rather than defending hostages next time you boot up Rainbow Six Siege.
On “Echo Chamber,” Marcus asks, “Have you tried turning it off?” That’s a fair question, considering the song’s subject matter is our incessant and unhealthy use of social media in the current age. If you’ve been on social media recently, you’d see people parroting political talking points and dangerous rhetoric. The verse of “Echo Chamber” almost feels like an EDM track, but then the chorus kicks in, reminding you that this is most definitely a Northlane song. The band tackles another topical issue on “Carbonized”, taking aim at the perpetrators of sexual violence that remain in the music scene instead of taking accountability for their actions. Marcus’ vocal performance on “Carbonized” could only be called virtuosic, with guttural expressions in the verses and an emotionally delivered warning in the chorus. “Hide for now, once the sun comes out, you’ll be carbonized,” are lines from the chorus that tells those who lurk in the shadows and take advantage of people that someday they will face a reckoning.
“Plenty” brings us back to traditional Northlane. It’s the first song on the album to not start with synth; in fact, there are very few electronic elements in the instrumental, period. It is a love letter to fans of older Northlane, with the kind of guitar chugs and solid riffs that made them fall in love with the band in the first place. “Plenty” feels like it could have been on Node or even Singularity. Meanwhile, you can cue the flashing lights, lasers, and glow sticks for aptly titled following track, “Is This A Test”. This one will surely test genre gatekeepers because it’s driven by an EDM beat and growling bass. To someone who is less of a purist, “Is This A Test” adds some nice variety to a metalcore album to keep it fresh. Choppy guitars are sprinkled in to keep it from being a complete deviance, but “Is This A Test” showcases Northlane’s versatility and ability to bend the genre.
“Xen” starts hard as nails, then moves into an almost feel-good and uplifting chorus, providing an exciting and enjoyable contrast. True to how “Xen” is pronounced, there’s a Zen-like moment in the bridge, complete with near chant-like vocals. The end of “Xen” may be unexpected on an album like Obsidian, but it shouldn’t take anyone by surprise given its title. The ending is a long synth part that reminds me of binaural beats that parts of the spiritual community swear by and meditate to. The listener is brought out of that peaceful trance with “Cypher”, a bass-filled track that certainly delivers Northlane’s brand of nu-metal. It has everything from chugging guitars, bass that you can feel in your gut, and nu-metal rhythms, so it is sure to be a fan favorite. Marcus is at peak vocal performance, from his gorgeous cleans to his gut-wrenching screams.
If you ever wondered what Northlane would sound like if they did the boyband thing, “Nova” would give some insight. It is a synth-driven ballad that showcases Bridge’s vocal talent and flexibility. From the sound of his falsetto, he’d be at home in pretty much any musical act. This one is for people who liked the Punk Goes Pop albums but wished they were original songs! Continuing with the tender feeling of “Nova,” “Inamorata” gives off strong love vibes, but over nu-metal riffs. Oddly enough, the riffs managed to match the vocals in their sweet delivery. Northlane shows the world that even heavy musicians can show a lighter side while still being metal. “Obsidian” starts as if Northlane were continuing their trend of softer tracks, but after they lull you with a synth intro, you get smacked with some sick double bass work from their drummer and a return to their djent guitars and scream driven vocal parts.
Closing Obsidian is “Dark Solitaire”, which starts with synth and haunting vocals that slowly build to nu-metal chugs with vocals soaring over them. Marcus shows off on this track with falsettos and screams; he runs the gamut with what his vocals can do on this song. The album ends by fading out with a shimmering synth.
Obsidian was self-produced and self-recorded by Northlane, as they have done with previous recordings like Alien. There were more EDM and techno influences than in previous works, but this was a natural progression from Alien. Northlane still had the rhythmic performances and low-tuned guitars that have made them stand out in the metalcore scene. Some fans of the genre might be put off by the EDM-driven and softer tracks, but if listeners are open to something different, then Obsidian is a sure hit!