Obstruktion – The End Takes Form
Release Date: 30th May 2025
Label: Suicide Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Metallic Hardcore, Old School Death Metal, Hardcore, Swedish Death Metal.
FFO: Hatebreed, Bitter End, Obituary, Harm’s Way, Earth Crisis, Gatecreeper, Lifesick, Adversary.
Review By: Rick Farley
Based out of Gothenburg and featuring a number of Swedish hardcore veterans, this energetic, metallic, death metal flavoured hardcore band Obstruktion blends extreme genres from the 90s with nasty breakdowns, sharpened guitar riffs, ragged, shouty vocals and violent tough guy energy. Fusing the hardcore aggression with death metal ferocity is nothing new to metal, but when a band does it well, it makes for a brutal yet satisfying listen. Full of raging savagery and groovy hooks ruthless enough to cave in your fucking chest cavity, Obstruktion is about to punch you repeatedly right in the mouth and not even think twice about it.
The bands second album The End Takes Form is a monstrous display of metallic beatdowns in the darkened world of our frail pitiful corporeality. Set for release by Suicide Records on May 30th, 2025, this is a take no prisoners display of ferocity spread out over nine brutish tracks. The album explores humanity’s violent nature, our fragile mortality, and the chaos of existence. Built upon the foundations of their previous record Monarchs of Decay, Obstruktion’s signature blend of ruthlessness on The End Takes Form is taken further into the realm of turbulent extremes.
Sitting at just 32 minutes, The End Takes Form is an all killer, no filler kick to the fucking teeth. No wasted runtime, no unnecessary tracks, this is full-frontal attacking from start to end. The kind of intensity that fuels the nastiest of pits. Minor bits of atmospheric flourishes, whether it be undertones of eerie melodies or unnerving claustrophobic tension created by the suffocating assault, are all essential to the overall feel of the record. Everything hits twice as hard when the breakdowns are preceded by raw emotional elements. Tracks like opener and title track The End Takes Form is a near three-minute thrash paced dose of jagged guitars, thick low end and punishing drums. The shouty vocals are raspy and course adding more ugliness to the music, it rumbles on like an out of control bulldozer. There’s no subtlety here. My current favourite track, The Final Hour kicks off with just as much piss fuelled fire and aggressive forward driving riffs. Midway through, it hits that sweet spot of guitar and drum groove that you know is building to something breakneck and brutal. If you don’t start grimacing, swinging ferociously and banging your god-damned head right here, there’s something severely wrong with you, and you’re reading the wrong fucking review. Closing track Born of Contempt is the one exception that has a considerable amount of atmosphere before and after it putrefies your soul with riffs straight from hell. At ten minutes long, it leaves a little space for much-needed airiness and respite from all the prior skull smashing. The track is chunky, heavy, and absolutely crushing, but with an enough breathing room to safely make it to the end. Completely wrecked but alive.
This is a well put together record that ticks all the boxes for a gripping look into what a hellish battle full of savage combatants with rabid intent might sound like. Metallic weaponry smashing flesh and steel, the roars of inhumane ferocity and the pounding of bodies being trampled as they fall. It’s hyper energetic, groove filled violence, packed with vicious breakdowns, what could go wrong?
Wounds heal. Easy recommend.
(4 / 5)
