Review: “The Bringer Of Light” by Obscurcis Romancia

They say that good things come to those who wait but a decade after Montreal, Canadian Symphonic Black Death Metal act Obscurcis Romancia inked a distribution deal with European Label Finisterian Dead End for their sophomore album ”Theatre Of Deception” and completed an Eastern Canada Tour with Anaal Nathrakh many would say we’ve waited quite long enough. That being said the band are one noted for long gaps between records, it was also a decade between their set titled debut and that sophomore one but in between times they have shared stages with everyone from Kataklysm to Despised Icon. So where does 2022 find them? Well the band is officially comprised of multi instrumentalist Frederic Le (Guitars, Vocals and Orchestrations) and drummer Jean Rufiange with a trio of guests appearing on this new material with vocals from Mathieu Brunet, bass from Daniel Daris and piano from Guillaume Martineau…

Regardless of who is in the band, it seems clear that being the only original member since the bands 1998 inception, Frederic Le is the mastermind behind this project and he has recruited some highly talented extreme Metal talents in order to create this magnum opus of an EP. For anyone who hasn’t heard of Obscurcis Romancia (despite two albums in the past two decades) imagine if you will, Cradle Of Filth playing a selection of Nekrogoblikon covers and putting their own spin on them. The madness begins with “Here Comes The Storm“, a vicious little ditty of larynx threatening demonic vocals over vibrant leads and dramatic piano to create a painting of Gothic nature in a Blackened Death Metal symphony of destruction. As if that wasn’t cutting enough, the title track then offers a nine and a half minute monster of icy piano with rumbling percussive battery of the kind usually reserved for Black Metal as a hell that knowns no bounds. Constructed as a sequence of movements, the track offers yet more theatrics as if echoing the swell of the ocean during a storm, the narrative of the scathing vocals at it’s beating black heart and as the poison chalice overflows with ideas including a pair of blistering solos, you would so well not to fall under the spell of these evil wizards. The title of “Horror In The Garden Of Eden” speaks for itself and after the dark atmospherics of the previous two cuts this one is actually a little brighter with the sumptuous piano work of Martineau and vibrant leads of Frederic Le lifting it for the most part as they get somehow more flamboyant with their performances. “Sous L’Emprise Des Ténèbres” sees guest vocalist Jeff Mott joining the restless and relentless proceedings as the skull smashing continues with some almost operatic touches in orchestrations and the band never afraid to turn everything into a bloodthirsty breakneck rampage as a nasty plot twist in this violent tale. For the most part the vocals are fierce and yet decipherable but the finale takes it one step beyond as at points during the spine shattering conclusion to this eclectic and eccentric EP “L’Empire Des Morts” sees the black plague winds emanating from the throat of Brunet as he almost reaches the point of running out of oxygen during this black rantings. A searing return to form as if they were never away “The Bringer Of Light” is evidence that needs to be put before a court of law [7.5/10]

Track listing

“The Bringer Of Light” by Obscurcis Romancia is out 1st March 2022 with pre-orders available over at bandcamp.