Review: Steps of Odessa - Obsidian Skies

 

Progressive Metal is a very subcategory of the genre in the sense that it has a very large scope. Whether you take the likes of Dream Theater, Symphony X, Fates Warning, 80s Queensryche or Opeth, the only thing Progressive bands seem to have in common is the knack for virtuoso elements (and even those are not exclusive to this field) and the usual epic, which is not always a must.

But the other one element that all Progressive Metal bands seem to have is that desire to push the envelope and I think that is a byproduct of their technical abilities–the more you know your way around a musical instrument, the more curious you are going to be to try different stuff and see how far you can go. And while that can make Progressive Metal a bit self-indulgent at times with some bands, it can also contribute with some very entertaining and fascinating compositions.

All of that brings up to the protagonists of our review, Progressive Metal band Steps of Odessa. And they come back from Florida, whose scene was mostly known in the early 90s by the many great Death Metal acts they managed to produce at the time. In this case, Steps of Odessa is a Progressive Metal band that combines extreme Metal elements with the use of synthesizers, thus producing a very unique and experimental atmosphere.

In recent years they produced their debut EP, called Wasteland, and now they have released their most first full length album, Obsidian Skies, where they show the world what this band is all about: a straightforward combination of virtuoso elements, extreme music and a knack for melody when the moment is right. You are not going to find a lot of bands like Steps of Odessa trying to pull off many different things at the same time and while that can be hit and miss in certain songs, it doesn’t stop it from being a fascinating experience to listen to.

We only have to listen to the first synth notes in the opening title track to tell that this is a group that is not wasting their time–if there is a general complaint that Progressive Metal bands lack intensity, you don’t have to worry about that with Steps of Odessa. The chugging riffs definitely have a very modern feel, but the band also manages to add different rhythm changes throughout the whole thing and there are also quality switches to melodic moments that are a nice contrast to the usual heavy elements. The rhythm section is on point and the band manages to pack a lot of action in a little bit more than five minutes, which is explicit, to say the least.

A very decent opener and one that sets you in the mood for what’s to come.

I personally like a lot the guitar work in the second track, Enemy of Creation, as it shows the band in a more straightforward manner. It is one of the most intense tracks of the entire album and it shows the band relying a little bit less on synthesizers, so if you are one of those listeners that are not into that kind of sounds, then this track might be a good introduction about what the band is all about.

There is a middle section in Enemy of Creation where they slow down the tempo and it makes the song even better, in my mind, as a lot of bands tend to struggle with rhythm changes and doing so in a musical manner, but Steps of Odessa excel doing it with this particular track.

The musicians in this band are clearly talented and skillful with their instruments, but I love how they do so in a musical way, instead of falling in a very self-indulgent route. The vocals are still a bit of a turnoff for me because I’m not into those Hardcore-influences vocals–I prefer the old school guttural vocals of late 80s/early 90s Death Metal bands.

The introduction to the third track, Sledgod, is certainly much more melodic than anything that came before in this album and it shows how musically flexible Steps of Odessa can be. Here we have another important from the synths, but I personally think they fit quite well in this situation. The chorus is a strong part of the song, as the guitar parts perfectly add a much more melodic element to the whole thing–it is that focus on the details that is so important in this particular situation.

It is also worth pointing out the middle section, which gives a greater focus on the drum parts and how the band as a whole gives themselves a little room to breathe and add a slightly melodic interlude. It is one of the most interesting songs in the entire album, in my view, because it gives people the possibility of hearing them trying some different things–they are not as straightforward and heavy as they were in the two previous songs, but it is a certainly enjoyable track and I think it is one of Obsidian Skies’ high points, without a shadow of a doubt.

Talking about breathers, we take a short one with the interlude Ascension, showing the band’s more peaceful and calm approach to things. It’s a far cry from what we have heard so far, but it’s a welcomed change of sound in this particular situation–I think there is a certain value in variety when it comes to switching styles within the same album, if done right.

I have to say that Clouds is a weird track, but in a good way. It shows Steps of Odessa combining more melodic elements with a much more aggressive sound, thus allowing for a very unique atmosphere and sonic experience. There is something very natural in the way they change their sound throughout the song and how they seem to do it with ease, which to me is the key of any Progressive Metal band worth their salt.

And that is something that I feel should be taken into account when talking about Steps of Odessa: they are not your typical Progressive Metal band that has a lot of long songs, but they managed to pack the whole experience (virtuoso elements, rhythm changes, multiple sounds) into short songs and there is a virtue to that–in being able to do a lot in a short period of time.

Clouds seems to be a very good representation of where Steps of Odessa stands a band: an eclectic Metal band that can do a lot of things in a very short period of time. And I think that is why the song speaks to me that well: it is such a good showing of what they are all about.

I don’t know if R.E.M. has anything to do with the famous band, but it is quite likely the heaviest song of the entire album… and for some reason I’m not really a fan of this one. I don’t know, I think it lacks a bit of the technical aspects of the previous songs; there are some nice rhythm changes here and there, but nothing to write home about. It has some decent musicianship, but I think it is lacking the degree of energy that the previous songs had–it feels too generic, for my taste. Perhaps you are going to have a different perception than me, and that is totally fine.

And they seem to understand what I’m saying in the last paragraph because Goddess is a very fitting end to this experience. It’s a very heavy song, but with powerful riffs and guitar parts as a whole, complemented by pounding drums and one of the strongest vocal performances of the entire album, in my opinion. I love the synths in this song because it adds to the atmosphere and it makes the instrumental parts a lot more epic and memorable.

The more melodic elements of Goddess should be definitely taken into account as some of the entire album’s highlights and another example of how talented these musicians are. There are moments of genius in this song and a grand showing of what they can achieve when they are focused in pulling off a great song, so that is something worth taking into account when listening to this song.

Steps of Odessa is a good band. I wouldn’t say they are a great band yet because that is something they have to prove throughout their whole career–the quality and greatness of a group is shown through consistent output, not just one album. Having said that, there is potential here and I’m curious to see what this band can achieve as their career progresses because they can explore many different sounds with what they have done here and they can go to great lengths, if they want to, of course.

Focusing on Obsidian Skies, it’s an album that has a very clear notion of what they want to achieve on a musical scale and they do so in grand style. The vocals put me off a bit because they are not my cup of tea, but I’m sure there are a lot of listeners that have a lot more interest than me in that. On the other hand, the musicianship is top notch and worth your time if you’re into modern Extreme and Progressive Metal stuff.

A very solid debut album and an example that Progressive Metal can be a lot of different things for a lot of different people, so that is always something that we should keep in mind when talking about this subgenre.