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, “A Valediction”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:

‘When Stars Collide’ here: https://youtu.be/YQdGX_zefvg
“Devoured Usurper”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHwWlAIDLaM
“A Valediction”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMsTtZSBcXg
“Solaris”:  https://youtu.be/PA1CYWB0J5o

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

Ticket link: https://realmofobscura.com/live/

OBSCURA – European Tour 2022
support: Persefone & Disillusion
07.09.2022 COLOGNE (DE) – GEBÄUDE9 
08.09.2022 HAMBURG (DE – KNUST 
09.09.2022 BERLIN (DE) – HOLE 44
10.09.2022 PRAGUE (CZ) – FUTURUM
11.09.2022 WARSAW (PL) – HYDROZAGADKA (new show)
13.09.2022 VIENNA (AT) – VIPER ROOM
14.09.2022 ZÜRICH (CH) – KOMPLEX KLUB
15.09.2022 MILAN (IT) – LEGEND CLUB
16.09.2022 LYON (FR) – CCO
17.09.2022 BARCELONA (ES) – LA NAU
18.09.2022 MADRID (ES) – CARACOL
19.09.2022 TOULOUSE (FR) – LE REX
20.09.2022 PARIS (FR) – PETIT BAIN
22.09.2022 BRISTOL (UK) – EXCHANGE
23.09.2022 DUBLIN (IR) – VOODOO LOUNGE
24.09.2022 GLASGOW (UK) – AUDIO
25.09.2022 LEEDS (UK) – BRUDENELL
26.09.2022 LONDON (UK) – THE UNDERWORLD
28.09.2022 NIJMEGEN (NL) – DOORNROOSJE
29.09.2022 FRANKFURT (NL) – DAS BETT
30.09.2022 MANNHEIM (DE) – MSC COMPLEX (new show!)
01.10.2022 MÜNCHEN (DE) – BACKSTAGE HALLE

Ticket link: https://realmofobscura.com/live/

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

More information:
www.realmofobscura.com
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www.instagram.com/realmofobscura
www.youtube.com/realmofobscura