Obscurity (SE) represents a vital but often overlooked link in the evolution of Swedish extreme metal. Formed in Malmö in 1985, they were contemporaries of early Bathory and Morbid, contributing to the transition from aggressive thrash metal to the burgeoning death metal movement.
Their sound is characterized by high-tempo 'chainsaw' riffing and a primitive rhythmic approach that prioritized intensity over technical precision. The band's historical footprint is primarily defined by two influential demos, 'Ovations To Death' (1986) and 'Damnations Pride' (1987), which became staples of the global tape-trading circuit. While they never achieved the commercial heights of peers like Entombed or Dismember, their members - including those who later joined Dark Funeral - maintained a significant influence on the black and death metal scenes. Critical consensus views them as a 'cult' act, prized by collectors for their raw, unadulterated energy and their role in establishing the sonic blueprint for the Swedish underground.
Shares proto-death metal tremolo, primitive blast beat patterns, death metal, aggressive (detail)
Shares death metal, aggressive, black metal, thrash metal (signature)
Shares death metal, aggressive, black metal, thrash metal (signature)
Shares death metal, aggressive, black metal, thrash metal (signature)
Shares death metal, aggressive, black metal, thrash metal (signature)
Shares death metal, aggressive, black metal, thrash metal (signature)
Shares unpolished rehearsal room reverb, primitive blast beat patterns, death metal, aggressive (detail)
Shares death metal, aggressive, black metal, thrash metal (signature)
Shares death metal, black metal, thrash metal, gravelly (signature)
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