Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Obduction
Label: Cela Pametna Založba
Release: 2009
Duration: 52:14
Rating: 5/5
In their 15th year of existence, Obduction are finally dropping their debut album, Fingerprint. Plenty of things caused the long wait, mostly lineup changes and the constant search for their own musical identity. They finally found it a few years back, when the band got a total overhaul and a fresh coat of paint, fronted by charismatic vocalist Mojca Zalar. The revamped Obduction traveled through melodic death metal, progressive and heavy metal and landed on alternative rock/metal, and in 2007 they put out a great taste of what was coming, the EP Peephole Into Emotions.
Obduction are now closer to a wider spectrum of listeners and more commercially accessible to a broader audience, but that doesn’t make them any less quality. Fingerprint leaves behind ten unique fingerprints in the form of ten colorful original tracks. Four of those prints – Dilemma, Metaphor, Sara and One Moment – are older, since they were already on Peephole Into Emotions, but they’ve been rejuvenated and given a few surprising new touches. The already familiar opening riffs of Dilemma are joined by a saxophone, which comes as a bit of a shock at first but turns out to be a great move. On Fingerprint, Obduction show real musical progress and growth, and the variety of instruments alone is impressive: right in the excellent Keep Them Enemies, bassist Gašper Gantar takes us on a trip with his didgeridoo playing. From there the girl and the guys take us on an emotional journey through colorful, varied and dynamic tracks they’ve breathed life into, and every single song breathes in its own way. Mojca brings fantastic vocal expression to the songs: she can be aggressive, melodic, dreamy, emotional, and the vocal power doesn’t drop off for a second. The way the lyrics, which touch on life themes, are carried over into the music is phenomenal. They’re delivered just right, every vocal line is wickedly catchy and sticks in your head instantly. Mojca also sings an unforgettable duet with Shero from Leaf Fat in Human. Obduction shine instrumentally too. The comparison to the likes of Guano Apes or Skunk Anansie holds up when it comes to Mojca’s vocals resembling Sandra Nasic or Skin, but that resemblance falls away on the instrumental side, where you can really tell the instrumental foursome is made up of seasoned veteran players. Every track is masterfully put together, both structurally and in the arrangements, full of swings between faster, more aggressive attacks and calmer, melancholic parts that mesh brilliantly and build on each other. The guitars of the Mirko/Dalibor duo are incredibly inventive and have a devilishly good “flow”. The two guys saw their way through everything from heavy-metal-strong riffs to the occasional almost bluesy line and all the way to fantastically swept solos, and Peter Dekleva (Srečna mladina) adds his own touch with an excellent guest solo on White. The rhythm section is a wrecking ball too; Gantar is the main driver of fantastic bass lines and excellent groove, and together with Goran Ristić’s outstanding drumming they’re surely one of the best rhythm sections in the country right now.
With Fingerprint, Obduction deliver one of the highlights of the local alternative rock/metal scene. If the EP was a nice addition to the music scene, Fingerprint is proof that Obduction are leaving an extremely strong mark on it!
Lineup
Goran Ristić – Tigar – drums, guitar, percussion
Gašper Gantar – bass, double bass, didgeridoo, keyboards, percussion
Mojca Zalar – vocals
Mirko Ratković – guitar
Dalibor Sarajlić – guitar
GUESTS:
Robert Šercer – Shero – vocals (3)
Tim Kostrevc – sax (2)
Peter Dekleva – guitar (7)
Anže Vidic – acoustic guitar (2,4)
Production
Blaž Soklič
Tracklist
1. Keep Them Enemies
2. Dilemma
3. Human
4. Metaphor
5. Sara
6. Breathing Life
7. White
8. Gravity
9. The Void
10. One Moment
