OBLIVION MYTH: In Your Arms
Power Metal stalwarts Oblivion Myth have returned to the fold with a new album entitled In Your Arms. This album, their third, is the follow up to 2016s Into the Mirror. Following the musical trek of Mirror, In Your Arms expands on the musical palette and refines their sound a more in the process. Developing as songwriters is always a good thing, more depth here on both the musical front and the lyrical front.
Within the songs themselves they range from the heavy blistering, “Thousand Years,” “Slow Burn,” “Awake the Night” to the slightly more melodic and accessible “In Your Arms,” or “Another Life.” As I pushed play on my music machine and placed my lovely DT 770 Pro headphones over my ears I was enveloped in sound. The tight and punchy drum works locked in nicely with some fabulous bass lines. Crunchy guitars layered throughout, check out the interplay during “Awake in The Night.” Tim McDonald delivers a solid vocal punch throughout.
The first time through I will admit this album didn’t grab me immediately. It is quite dense production wise, but as I settled in for my 2nd spin through and my ears adjusted to the various textures and tones, elements started to come into focus. Their previous release only had 3 core members, yet on this album the band has expanded to five members with a second guitar player added.
Tim McDonald provides the vocals, Keith Smith delivers another blistering performance on lead guitar, and Bob Schultz continues to provide the back bone in the drum department. All three show their chops which propel Oblivion Myth to the upper echelon. Newer members Chris Selby (guitar) and Ryan Mark (bass guitar) enhance and flesh out the sound. You can tell there is some real teamwork here, and a passion for playing amongst all of these guys.
It should also be mentioned that the band has a trio of female vocalists whom they’ve dubbed “The Battle Angels” – Cat Fritchman, Vicki Reid and Carmen Sanders. They provide back up vocals on many of the tracks. It adds another texture to the musical range that Oblivion Myth works with. Honestly it caught me off guard initially because it was unexpected, it works. There are also various songs through the album that each “Battle Angel” gets the spotlight, they deliver the vocal goods.
Offering up ten tracks of determined power metal Oblivion Myth have added some very definite progressive elements to this album. Songs such as the epic album closer “Heirs to the Throne” clocking in at over 9 minutes length, exhibit a swirling array of melody with various tempo changes. “Heirs…” delivers a triumph of progressive heavy metal without it just devolving into a 9 minute guitar solo. Keith Smith (who wrote the song) took the concept of Romans 8:17 and internalized it, making it more personal, not just another lyrical abstraction.
For me the greatest example of this type of internalization occurs during the track “Love Child.” This bit metal whimsy is a great song that is an anthem which one could use as a daily meditation. Heavy and Metal with an uplifting anthem it doesn’t get much better than that!
The key to any great release is memorable melodies which you remember. Now as mentioned earlier when I first listened to this release it struck me as quite dense, nevertheless on my second and subsequent listens, melodies started to stick with me “Slow Burn,” the aforementioned “Love Child.” Album opener “Thousand Years” and lead single (title track) “In Your Arms” have some quality material
Oblivion Myth’s latest album In Your Arms is victory anyway you slice it. Some great songwriting with world class production, not to mention the world class playing. If you’re a fan of Millennial Reign, Theocracy and European Power Metal this album is a MUST buy for 2020!
-Keven Crothers
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