Oberst - Toil

 

For a few years now I've been following the growth and development of Oberst. They're a really interesting and quite different Norwegian band, drawing from a huge blend of influences. On a given track you can hear touches of black metal, emo, melodic death metal and so much more all coming together for an end result that feels almost visionary. The band has been at it for a good few years now, but this record seems to be the sound of it all coming together. Toil is a bold offering and one that seems to consistently drive towards dizzy new heights. 

Toil thrills because of the atmospheres that Oberst are able to conjure up. The spiraling guitar lines on tracks like "Mules On A Mountain" are thrilling and speak to a band who understand the fundamental beauty of the metal genre. Oberst understand now better than ever how to craft meaningful and exciting songs that lure you in and remind us exactly why we were all enamored with this thing in the first place. Toil is a record that is unafraid to draw in a diverse set of elements and turn them around into something that is distinctly Oberst. If this was a band who struggled to find their sound in the past, now the group has contributed something meaningful to the canon. 

Oberst have me truly impressed with this release. Their ability to push their own boundaries as creators and unveil something greater is endlessly charming. I got to see the band a few weeks ago in Norway and was impressed at how the songs came together live. They feel just as organic on stage as they do on the album, and one gets the sense that this is exactly how Oberst like it. I could see this record being a sleeper hit and starting to help the band make some meaningful forward motion. It's a labor worth of it's Toil after all! 

Pre-order the album! 

https://oberstband.bandcamp.com/album/toil