Album Review: CROBOT Obsidian

Arguably Pennsylvania’s metal best-kept secret, Crobot has been hammering across the landscape of dirty hard rock, sprinkled with groove-heavy riffs and psychedelic undertones for quite a few years now – 13 to be exact. Their music harks back to the era when rock, from the early ’70s to the ’90s, was a commercial force that could rival the dominant pop trends of the time, often flirting at times with a more metallic favor.

However, in their 5^th studio album Obsidian, those tendencies become much bolder and predominant, blurring the lines between their fuzz-driven trademark sound and high-octane metal, courtesy of the crunchy and doom-laden guitarwork and the intense and dynamic crooning of frontman Brandon Yeagley.

Obsidian strikes a compelling balance between intensity and accessibility, delivering its commanding message across 11 tight, punchy tracks, with several of them sporting a grunge-infused vibe in the best vein of Alice In Chains or Soundgarden‘s most metallic offerings, without losing their own identity.

From the opening salvo, the explosive title track “Obsidian,” Crobot wastes no time in laying down heavy grooves, but the objective here is not just about packing a punch but also about crafting a rich, immersive atmosphere that hat pulls the listener into their sonic universe. There’s more to the album than sheer force: the stoner-rock-loaded production, the unpredictable keyboard embellishments, and Yeagley‘s flamboyant wails all work in unison to conjure an almost space-opera vibe exuding a playful mystique.

It’s hard to pick a favorite cut, as Obsidian flows seamlessly, interchanging its musical landscape with the same precision as the pain strokes of a seasoned painter, which might feel erratic yet are completely purposeful. Sludgy and heavy moments, like the Black Sabbath-tinged min-epic “Come Down,” – where the band sounds more menacing and darker than ever before – are interspersed with guitar-driven, groove-heavy anthems like “Disappear” and the High On Fire-inspired “Ancient Druid Crowd.”

Pummeling fast-paced juggernauts like “Nothing” and “Metal” harken back to their most familiar sound, accentuating earworm choruses courtesy of Yeagley almost-theatrical vocals as he wails “I am metal, riding through the night with the devil, signed a contract in blood to live forever, I am METAL!”… it hardly gets more self-explanatory.

A couple of standout moments come from the hand of “Head Of The Beast”, a cut that dives headfirst into full-blown metal territory with aplomb and certainty, channeling the eerie, doom-loaded aura of Black Sabbath‘s early albums – albeit with a much more modern sound – and the slower-paced bluesy “The Flood”, which at times exudes Electric Wizard influences.

Throughout it all, Yeagley‘s vibrant vocal range is front and center, though Bishop‘s distinctive riffs and scorching solos, and the thunderous rhythm section — anchored by drummer Dan Ryan and bassist Pat Seals — are equally vital in crafting the album’s towering sound.

Crobot has always operated on a different wavelength from their peers, unafraid to push boundaries, and Obsidian is an album that could easily win over even the most die-hard heavy metal purists. “Obsidian is almost a rebirth of our career,” Yeagley stated, but I’d go as far as to say that it feels more like their finest hour, reaching the heights they have been aiming for during the past decade. The sheer power and energy of Bishop‘s blistering guitar work, combined with Yeagley‘s intricate vocals and the album’s otherworldly and adventurous storytelling, places Obsidian firmly among the best releases of 2024.