Obscure Obsession – Eternal Solitude

Released through Glory Hunter Records and distributed by Underground Symphony, Eternal Solitude is the full-length debut from Obscure Obsession, a band hailing from Treviso, Italy.

The band’s line-up comprises five musicians: Luca Libera (vocals), Ido Evome (guitars), Frank Fornasiero (guitars), Ale Spagnol (bass), and Zoran Novkovic (drums). Eternal Solitude consists of thirteen tracks (including the “Intro”) of traditional 1980s-style heavy/speed metal, complete with subtle modern rock inflections and progressive interludes. Although deeply rooted in heavy, dark metal, the overall sound still manages to find a nice balance, pairing wall-of-sound dynamics with quiet, echoing, and melancholic melodies.

At times, it feels as though the band purposefully shapes its instrumentation to move away from classic, fast-paced metal tropes, prioritizing atmosphere, depth, and raw human emotion instead. As the title suggests, the record delves into internal isolation, madness, and emotional solitude, seeking an introspective feel that touches on psychological depths beyond standard metal themes. Furthermore, the album showcases both heavy guitar work and the soaring vocal range of frontman Luca Libera. The heavier tracks feature sharp guitar work and tight rhythms, while the softer moments allow listeners to breathe. The same applies to the drums; during the heavy parts, they lock rigidly into traditional, driving doom rhythms that amplify the old-school, nostalgic metal crunch of the guitars. Meanwhile, in the atmospheric sections, the drumming steps back into minimalist patterns—often utilizing light cymbal work and ringing crashes—to let the evocative guitar melodies breathe.

The atmosphere finds a striking balance between high-energy metal assaults and a deep, brooding vibe, bridging aggressive riffing with more atmospheric, melodic soundscapes. The striking front cover art features highly dramatic metal imagery, visually depicting Dumas’s masterpiece, The Count of Monte Cristo, during his imprisonment.

In my opinion, the standout cuts on the record are “See Your Blood in My Hand”—a song that leans into a deliberate ’80s/’90s metallic feel while maintaining a deeply evocative and atmospheric intensity—and “The Dark and the Wicked” (named after the bleak 2020 horror film), which perfectly meshes a classic heavy metal sound with brooding, immersive, and doomy cinematic elements.

In summary, compared to their 2021 debut EP, Obsessions and Solitudes, the Treviso band undoubtedly sounds more mature, presenting exciting ideas and massive potential for further growth. I highly recommend this full-length effort to any fans of In Autumn, Paradise Lost, Saturnus, Candlemass, Black Sabbath, King Diamond, and similar heavy/speed/dark/occult/doom metal bands of the ’80s.

If this sounds interesting, you can find physical and digital editions of the album through Glory Hunter Records or Underground Symphony Records.