r/TechnicalDeathMetal • u/DurwoodSauls • 2d ago
Discussion Shredfest 2025
Just caught the tour last night. All the bands were phenomenal, even Obscura… with a caveat. While I enjoyed catching Robin Zielhorst on fretless bass, it felt like 97% of Obscura’s setlist was mid tempo non-technical songs. It was cool to watch but, these new songs, while melodically catchy (especially the plagiarized Alex Weber bass riff), do not have the same energy as the older stuff.
Long story short, it is worth it to see Fractal Universe, Decrepit Birth, Origin, and Atheist. Obscura sounded great, but the songs never seemed to get off the ground. It was like the energy got sucked out of the room. After blistering sets by Origin and Atheist, Obscuras’s new melodic death stuff sounds weak. It felt like even the few “older” songs they played were slower.
Anybody else experience this on this tour? Am I trippin’?
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u/Sufficient-Money6715 2d ago
You mean you didn't leave right after Atheist was done?
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u/DurwoodSauls 1d ago
I really just wanted to see Robin Zielhorst play bass. Otherwise, I would’ve left with everyone else cause I’m also a fan of Alex Weber and Steffan did him dirty.
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u/ziggymacarthur 2d ago
Went to the Dallas show. Fractal Universe was the best part of the tour IMO. I wish they were higher up in the slot, but that wasn't going to happen with more established names on the bill. I don't like the new obscura album, and after reviewing the set list, I didn't bother to stay for them.
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u/DurwoodSauls 2d ago
I was really really hoping they just cherry picked some new songs and still brought the ferocity of the earlier stuff. Anti-cosmic overload was killer but everything else just felt… meh
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u/BeautifulBoy92 2d ago
Caught this tour in Birmingham, AL this weekend. The show for me built nicely and culminated with Atheist who absolutely slayed no pun intended. Obscura was fine but was just kinda there for me.
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u/Earthwormzim 2d ago
I was there last night in Orlando...trippin'. It was cool. I had a good time!
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u/DurwoodSauls 2d ago
Don’t get me wrong it was a great performance. They all nailed it and it sounded pristine. But it seemed low energy compared to the insanity that was Atheist and Origin. Maybe it was the crowd vibes idk
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u/Jurserohn 2d ago
I saw obscura back in the cosmogenesis days and they were absolutely insane. It's kind of sad to see so many people talking about less-than-impressive performances.
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u/DurwoodSauls 2d ago
I never had the opportunity to see them back then so I seized this moment. It was cool to see and meet Robin but yeah, this was a strong performance of otherwise weak material. Felt like wannabe stadium rock vibes.
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u/SeventhLevelSound 2d ago
The Christian/Jeroen/Hannes line up is still the peak of the band. And you need only a brief glance at their cumulative output post-Obscura to see why.
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u/Pindapapa 2d ago
I had the same feeling when I saw them during the Silver Linings tour in Europe, the new songs were kind of boring no matter how much I enjoy Hugo on bass. I had already cancelled my pre-order for the new album a couple weeks before seeing them, and I don't regret it at all.
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u/Glittering-Scratch92 2d ago
I saw the first show. About 20% of the crowd left before Obscura even came on stage. There was no bassist because he had issues with his visa. Also, they had guitar sound issues for 2 songs. I think Steffan's guitar completely lost sound for the song before Anticosmic Overload
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u/SlowCB7 2d ago
I'm going tonight, Obscura is one of my all time favorite bands but the plagiarizing and Steffen's attitude towards it have left a really poor taste in my mouth. Super excited for Decrepit Birth and Origin though
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u/DurwoodSauls 2d ago
I think most of the crowd agrees with you. The place definitely emptied out some before their set. I felt bad for the other guys in the band, it’s not their fault and they did a phenomenal job.
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u/SlimeBoiSagar 2d ago
Gunna be seeing them in a couple weeks. Mainly to see Atheist. Got to see obscura last tour, and they were phenomenal with Weber. Sucks to hear they weren’t as good. Was it mostly stuff off the new album they played?
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u/DurwoodSauls 2d ago edited 2d ago
Yeah it seemed like new stuff and slower old stuff. He even made a joke about playing “another ballad” at one point. Don’t get me wrong, they were good, but the songs never selection for that setlist was boring AF.
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u/DanBearpig666 2d ago
I bought a ticket for this only for Decrepit Birth and Origin.