Obrero: Mortui Vivos Docent (2011)

Swedish act OBRERO was formed back in 2007 by members with a background from bands from the more extreme parts of the metal society. What brought them together was a shared fascination for one of the oldest relics of the metal heritage: Doom metal, in it's original guise as well as the subsequent developments of this stylistic expression. They signed to fledgling Swedish label Night Tripper Records in 2011, who subsequently released their debut album "Mortui Vivos Docent".

I'll readily admit that my exposure to metal after 1990 or thereabouts have been limited, and that my recollection of bands and genres is that of an old fart, and rather heavily flavoured by a few years worth of writing covering bands more or less well placed within a progressive orientation. As such, some of my associations will probably be out of date, expired and buried. Or perhaps pointing towards originators who have influenced acts that these guys have listened to. Be that as it may be, Obrero is a band that have made a good impression on me.

Doom metal can be rather varied in style, from sludgy, droning excesses to acts replicating the grandfathers Black Sabbath to the point of total boredom. But references to the original doom metal band is an ingredient that has to be in place for bands exploring this style, and Obrero is no exception there. Those familiar with Tony Iommi's works over the years will find his footprints all over this production, or at least arrangements and compositional and performance approaches that documents the legacy of his groundbreaking endeavours. This Swedish act does add a few pounds of lead to the mix however, darker and heavier the main keywords covering that aspect. And when they opt for passages with a slower pace, I'm reminded of another Swedish band, namely Candlemass. Which, presumably, is a reference just about as clichéd as the aforementioned British founding fathers I guess. Obrero does opt for sequences of a darker and more ominous nature too however, adding some subtle guitar details that makes me think of another veteran act: Celtic Frost. An association that might be a tad farfetched, but that has stuck rather firmly in my mind.

Moving onwards from the namedropping department, there are quite a few details about this production that caught my fancy. Effective use of impact riffs in circulating or fluctuating riff patterns for starters, and in particular when flavoured with subtle harmonic guitar overlays. Always a welcome setup for me, the nuanced but hard hitting arrangements constructed in such a manner something I'm a sucker for. The use of keyboards (Mellotron of some kind?) warms my heart and soul too, the sheer bombacity and stark contrast of dark, massive guitar riffs and light-toned, ethereal keyboard textures a combination that many progressive rock fans tend to be fascinated by. And to pull out a couple of favourites: The Fourth Earl, the best representative of the harder hitting, massive sounding part of this band's repertoire. And Exterminate, as the most intriguing of the sophisticated constructions. As my ears and my mind experience this disc admittedly.

A composition worth mentioning a tad more in detail is Charles the Hammer. This multiple themed affair is an interesting one, the initial Sabbath-tinged part almost joyful and positive in spirit, followed by a harder hitting, intriguing transitional phase, and then exploding into a chorus of stellar quality: A simple shouted line, with majestic strings on top and doom-laden riffs beneath. Pure dramatic brilliance. The main ingredients of the chorus also given a run in a slightly different setup later on, to good effect. Not a perfect sonic experience as such, but a song you'll play over and over, eagerly awaiting the grandiose explosion of this perfectly constructed chorus section.

If you tend to like your metal served with a hard, dark and heavy flavour encapsulated within a sophisticated doom-laden framework, Obrero is a band you should enjoy and "Mortui Vivos Docent" a CD you'll most likely want to add to your collection. A fine specimen of the genre to my ears, with quite a few moments of sheer brilliance to savour.

My rating: 83/100


Track list:
1. The Wolf's Hook 6:15
2. Son Of Tutankhamun 7:38
3. Svantovit 4:58
4. The Fourth Earl 4:38
5. Octaman 4:35
6. Charles The Hammer 6:38
7. Exterminate 6:28
8. The Lost World 6:30