Making of ‘A Valediction’ – “Recording Bass” out now! This video is about the return of Jeroen Paul Thesseling. When did he decide to re-join Obscura? What’s the difference between Cosmogenesis times and now? What’s the secret of the bass sound on “A Valediction“?
How many of you have pre-ordered our new album “A Valediction“?
If you haven’t yet, check out our official webshop. The limited-edition White Red Toffee Splatter 2LP is only available at https://realmofobscura.com/shop/
Check it out and get yours now before they’re sold out.
Today it´s finally time to launch the sixth studio album of OBSCURAon Nuclear Blast Records.
As a retrospect and a new beginning at the same time, “AValediction”has become OBSCURA’s most carefree album to date and the band doesn’t seem to be running out of creativity anytime soon, which should only accelerate their rise to one of the most important contemporary extreme metal bands.
Truly, there is no band quite like OBSCURA. “A Valediction” proves that persistence, perseverance, and enterprising minds can achieve anything. Welcome to the next level – welcome OBSCURA 2.0!
Listen to the album here or get one of the few remaining copies of the digipak including a signing card, or one of the 2LPs with etching on the d-side and gold foil finish on the album cover: https://bfan.link/Obscura
In case you missed the previous music videos from OBSCURA, check them out here:
The band will head out in early 2022 to an extensive North American round, followed by a European tour later in the year. Find all tour dates below.
OBSCURA – North America 2022 support: Abysmal Dawn, Vale Of Pnath and Interloper
02/03 San Diego – Brick by Brick 02/04 Mesa – Nile Theater 02/05 Los Angeles – 1720 02/06 Las Vegas – Backstage Bar 02/07 Salt Lake City – Urban Lounge 02/08 Denver – The Oriental Theater 02/10 Oklahoma City – Whisky Nights 02/11 Austin – Come and Take it Live 02/12 Dallas – Amplified live 02/13 Houston – Warehouse Live 02/14 New Orleans – Santos 02/16 Orlando – The Haven 02/17 West Palm Beach – Respectables 02/18 Tampa – The Orpheum 02/19 Atlanta – Masquerade 02/20 Nashville – The Basement East 02/21 Knoxville – Barley’s Knoxville 02/22 Virginia Beach – Elevation 27 02/23 Baltimore – Soundstage 02/24 Harrisburg – HMAC 02/25 Brooklyn – Knitting Factory 02/26 Boston – Sonia 02/27 Hartford – Webster Underground 02/28 Quebec City – Imperial Bell 03/01 Montreal – Foufounes 03/02 Ottawa – Maverick’s 03/03 Toronto – Lee’s Palace 03/04 Rochester – Montage Music Hall 03/05 Pittsburg – Preserving Underground 03/06 Indianapolis – Emerson Theatre 03/07 Louisville – Diamon Concert Hall 03/08 Detroit – The Sanctuary 03/09 Chicago – Reggies 03/10 Milwaukee – X-Ray 03/11 St. Paul – Turf Club 03/12 Winnipeg – Park Theater 03/14 Calgary – Dickens 03/15 Edmonton – Starlite Room 03/17 Vancouver – Rickshaw Theater 03/18 Seattle – El Corazon 03/19 Portland – Dante’s 03/21 Santa Cruz – The Cataclyst 03/22 Petuluma – Phoenix Theater 03/23 Fresno – Full Circle
OBSCURA wrote, recorded, and finalized “A Valediction” during the pandemic. The stipulations of working during this time allowed OBSCURA to work cross-country, tracking each respective part—drums, guitar, and bass—in national studios across The Netherlands, Austria, and Germany. Once the pieces were completed, the recordings were shipped off to award-winning producer Fredrik Nordströmand Studio Fredman (In Flames, Architects) in Gothenburg, Sweden, where Kummerer and Münznercompleted vocals and acoustic guitars using custom-built ENGL amps.
Nordström was also tapped to mix and master. The final result is a deeper, heavier, yet more rounded production. Lyrically, “A Valediction” is layered in structure and meaning. The word ‘valediction,’ by definition, deals with goodbyes and farewells. In a way, this is auf wiedersehen to the four-part album series while also addressing complex topics of Kummerer’s personal life. Insteadof obscuring issues of loss, death, and abandonment in metaphor and allusion, the German laid bare his torment across songs like ‘Forsaken,’ ‘Solaris,’ ‘In Unity,’ ‘The Neuromancer,’and ‘In Adversity.’
But for every line of desperation, he also offers positivity. Indeed, new beginnings—physical, emotional, or environmental—can provide light in the darkness. Lauded artist Eliran Kantor (Testament, Helloween) was brought on board to visualize the leitmotif. The bronze-themed colourway Kantor used exemplifies OBSCURA’s resistance to individual and sonic corrosion.
Line up: Steffen Kummerer – vocals & guitar Christian Münzner – guitars Jeroen Paul Thesseling – bass David Diepold – drums
Obscura announce “A Valediction North American 2022” Tour With ABYSMAL DAWN, VEIL OF PNATH & INTERLOPER!
Virtuosic extreme metallers OBSCURA are proud to announce their “A Valediction North American 2022” tour. The 44-day trek will kick off on February 3rd at Brick By Brick in San Diego and make stops in Austin, Montreal, and Chicago before concluding on March 23rd in Fresno, CA. Joining the band as direct support are American death metal masters ABYSMAL DAWN. Opening the tour are Denver technical death metallers VEIL OF PNATH and progressive heavy metal vehicle and label-mates INTERLOPER.
Steffen Kummerer comments: “OBSCURA returning to North America supporting our brand new album ‘A Valediction’ with an extensive tour through the United States and Canada. Don’t miss the tour of the year, buy your tickets, and see all of you in early 2022!”
OBSCURA will be touring in support of their upcoming release A Valediction which will be released later this week! Mixed and mastered by award-winning producer Fredrik Nordström, the album can be ordered here at https://bfan.link/Obscura. Check out the latest single “When Stars Collide” here: https://youtu.be/YQdGX_zefvg
Confirmed dates for the OBSCURA “A Valediction North American 2022” Tour with ABYSMAL DAWN, VEIL OF PNATH & INTERLOPER are:
2/03/2022 San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick 2/04/2022 Mesa, AZ – Nile Theater 2/05/2022 Los Angeles, CA – 1720 2/06/2022 Las Vegas, NV – Backstage Bar 2/07/2022 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge 2/08/2022 Denver, CO – The Oriental Theater 2/10/2022 Oklahoma City. OK – Whisky Nights 2/11/2022 Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live 2/12/2022 Dallas, TX – Amplified Live 2/13/2022 Houston, TX – Warehouse Live 2/14/2022 New Orleans, LA – Santos 2/16/2022 Orlando. FL – The Haven 2/17/2022 West Palm Beach. FL – Respectable 2/18/2022 Tampa, OR – The Orpheum 2/19/2022 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade 2/20/2022 Nashville, TN – The Basement East 2/21/2022 Knoxville, TN – Batley’s Knoxville 2/22/2022 Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27 2/23/2022 Baltimore, MD – Soundstage 2/24/2022 Harrisburg. PA – HMAC 2/25/2022 Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory 2/26/2022 Boston, MA – Sonia 2/27/2022 Hartford, CT – Webster Underground 2/28/2022 Quebec City, Canada – Imperial Bell 3/01/2022 Montreal, Canada – Foufounes 3/02/2022 Ottawa, Canada – Maverick’s 3/03/2022 Toronto, Canada – Lee’s Palace 3/04/2022 Rochester, NY – Montage Music Hall 3/05/2022 Pittsburgh, PA – Preserving Underground 3/06/2022 Indianapolis, IN – Emerson Theatre 3/07/2022 Louisville.KY – Diamon Concert Hall 3/08/2022 Detroit, MI – The Sanctuary 3/09/2022 Chicago, IL – Reggies 3/10/2022 Milwaukee, MN – X-Ray 3/11/2022 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club 3/12/2022 Winnipeg, Canada – Park Theater 3/14/2022 Calgary, Canada – Dickens 3/15/2022 Edmonton, Canada – Starlite Room 3/17/2022 Vancouver, Canada – Rickshaw Theater 3/18/2022 Seattle,WA – El Corazon 3/19/2022 Portland, OR – Dante’s 3/21/2022 Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst 3/22/2022 Petaluma, CA – Phoenix Theater 3/23/2022 Fresno, CA – Full Circle