Obszön Geschöpf - Vault Of Nightmares

It is honestly hard to describe exactly why I love Obszön Geschöpf's sound. In all honesty, the first few notes I have about the band does not exactly appeal to the audiophile. Obszön Geschöpf is chock full of samples from multiple films, has a mastering that makes the overall production sound muddy, and is an industrial metal/dark electro hybrid. Now, a lot of people already cringe just at the industrial metal genre, but add in the rest and some will go off and dismess Obszön Geschöpf as just another shitty industrial band. But, the reality of it all is that they are able to make it all work together and I hardly ever have a complaint. I suppose that's why I've been led to review their latest offering "VAULT OF NIGHTMARES", a twelve track melody of dark metal electronic music that includes an Animotion cover and a remix by Mob Research. 

As stated above, the quality of the music is not crisp and clear like so many other albums you will come across. The sound is gritty and smudged but it is artistically done. Paired with so many samples from B-rated horror films, this album plays off as if it would be the soundtrack to its own horror film. This is most notable within the first song, where samples from 1988's "Brain Damage" plays out as Geschöpf's sludgy industrial metal sounds mixes with dark EBM-centric vibes. 

As you can probably tell, a lot of Obszön Geschöpf's appeal comes in the form of pure aesthetic on "VAULT OF NIGHTMARES". Even the song titles sound like they could each be their own horror film. Whether it's the dark synth work found within "Doctor Gloomy", the more sinister sounding but sci-fi horror chaos found in "Rue Morgue Creature", each and every one of these songs have made me want to whip out a pen and paper and write a short horror flick. But, it's not only in song titles or even the sound that Obszön Geschöpf succeeds in. It's also in imagery. 

The cover art for the album unquestionably shows off what's packed inside this gore-fest. With horror covers of old in mind, zombies walk out of a castle's crypt. A stereotypical woman in an old fashioned pajama gown slowly makes her way down a set of stairs, attempting to figure out who - or what - was making a disturbance in the night. Her head is slightly turned toward the undead, showcasing that she is just about to see the disgusting creatures of the night. The picture speaks an entire story in itself, and I adored it. I wish to have a poster of it.

So, from the cover art, to the music, to the song titles, to the presentation in general and morbid 80s horror sounds that adorn each and every single one of the tracks, Obszön Geschöpf has hammered down "VAULT OF NIGHTMARES" into a work of horrific love. Listening to this album, I can easily feel the enthusiasm and appreciation Obszön Geschöpf has for so many classic and cult horror films, and his creativity expands straight into his music making. 

This album is available in a standard CD version, or a deluxe, box edition titled "15 Years of Bloody Nightmares" which includes this new album, as well as the "DAY OF SUFFERING" demo album, several hand-picked tracks, and a remix CD. They can both be ordered by contacting the label via Facebook here. 
Aug 26 2015