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Whether or not it was their intention, Ne Obliviscaris, with their debut album ‘Portal of I’, and sophomore follow-up ‘Citadel’, have bent, broken and ultimately changed the game when it comes to progressive metal. Formed in 2003, this now five piece Australian band will never have everyone comprehending exactly what they do, and they do it so well, yet those who do will find a richness there. A willingness to push the boundaries musically, with an execution in performance delivered so masterfully there is little wonder why these guys set themselves apart from much of what the progressive sub-genre has to offer.

Gearing up to release their third studio album, ‘Urn’, much anticipation surrounds its imminent release, having continually raised the bar with each successive record. Well fear not, for Ne Obliviscaris have gone and done it again. It wouldn’t be going too far to say ‘Urn’ is a masterpiece that transcends the confines of the sub-genre while simultaneously keeping it exciting.

The marriage between their masterful technical ability and superb songwriting is shown the moment ‘Urn’ begins with “Libera”, a two part colossal track that displays much of what Ne Obliviscaris do so wonderfully. The hybrid, battling dynamics between dark and light, good and evil, sees singers Xen and Tim Charles create a dueling interplay of mesmerizing vocals. Xenoyr’s guttural stylings match Charles’ soaring, tension piercing vocals to blend their two worlds into a purposeful “Angel singing the Devil’s songs” balance.

While this balance is normally somewhere in the middle, particularly on their earlier works, ‘Urn’ finds itself with Tim Charles making his vocal presence known much earlier on, as well as his unique, haunting, and at times Celtic, violin solos. This is most apparent on what is without a doubt the album stand out track, “Eyrie”. Only a few moments shy of being a twelve minute epic, this masterpiece doesn’t let up for a second. Atmospheric, a climactic, journey in itself, “Eyrie” highlights some of the best the band, both individually and collectively, has to offer.

Despite their evident talents as individual musicians, there is still no ego to be found in Ne Obliviscaris. A prime example can be heard in the albums leading single, “Intra Venus”. Knowing when to reign it back, to let another take the spotlight for the sake of the song, and to build momentum towards when the entire unit comes together for the kick, is something the band have understood since their debut. “Urn” parts 1 and 2 sees the album not only through to its final moments, but also its heaviest. While the title tracks don’t quite follow in the footsteps of their predecessors, never really extending the bands own reach, in truth, without them, you may have found yourself feeling that the record somewhat lacked that sheer and brutal moment where, from start to finish, only chaos lies. With “Urn”, you get it, all fourteen minutes of it.

While their journey may have been a turbulent one, with some member changes still in the works, Ne Obliviscaris have managed to sustain themselves for over a decade. Now three albums deep, with countless tours under their belts, it would be difficult to argue that NeO aren’t opening doors for the progressive metal sub-genre. Indeed, they are doing much more than that, merging the genre with others to create new musical possibilities. Or possibly a genre all of their own. For ‘Urn’ not only recalls the strengths, sounds and magic of their previous albums; it also produces its own, standing on its own merit, reaching into the future, making both ‘Urn’ and Ne Obliviscaris forces to be reckoned with.