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Oblivion Knight > Oblivion Knight > Reviews
Oblivion Knight - Oblivion Knight

The least original name ever - 86%

Jophelerx, November 1st, 2013

Oblivion Knight is one of the most generic-sounding power metal names out there, which may be a reason the band has been so overlooked (the fact that they never released a full length doesn't help, either). There are several power metal bands named Oblivion (the Florida one is especially good), and the number of bands in the style with "knight" in their name is just ridiculous. Three "Black Knight"s, Crystal Knight, Serpent's Knight - and those are just the ones I'm actually familiar with. Admittedly, in 1986, it wouldn't seem quite as common, but the moniker certainly didn't seem to help them. Singer Mike Soliz's band Militia received more recognition than O. Knight, probably because it appealed more to the thrash audience. USPM/speed was never incredibly popular, with bands like Helstar and Liege Lord being the most successful and well-known of the bunch. Texas outfit Oblivion Knight just got lumped in with the mass of mid 80s Texas USPM demo bands, which is unfortunate given the quality of their admittedly meager output.

The first half of the compilation covers their 1987 demo, which featured more of a pure PM sound and Mike Soliz on vocals. This is definitely the better and more accessible demo, with catchy riffs; a strong, clear production; and a kickass vocalist. This era of the band is dark blue collar USPM with an Agent Steel meets Cloven Hoof sort of feel; dual guitar harmonies are used often, and there are some elements of speed and thrash, with a very slick and technological feeling. Soliz tends to stay in the higher register, which is fine, as his shrieks are quite good. He sounds sort of like a toned-down John Cyriis, which further reinforces the Agent Steel comparison. There are some major differences, though; it's a lot more melodic, with an enchanting acoustic intro to "Sword in Hand". It also has some super catchy vocal lines, such as the chorus of "Beyond the Gates", and the riffs are consistently excellent; they're good enough that they can be used several times without feeling repetitive, but they're changed at just the right time. The songwriting here is superb, and it's unique enough to be very impressive. The only problem I have with this portion of the compilation is the instrumental track, which is really unnecessary, but thankfully brief. This demo is almost all killer and no filler, definitely some of the best USPM out there.

The second half of the compilation, i.e. the 1990 demo, is still good, but a bit different style and definitely not on the same level at all. Soliz is replaced by Chris Collins, who definitely suits the material but isn't quite as charismatic. This is basically tech thrash with a lot of speed metal elements, and Collins' tone isn't far off from the vocalist of Realm or Watchtower. Tech thrash is a pretty difficult genre to pull off well, but luckily this is pretty good stuff, if not great. The riffs are good but difficult to follow, and require many listens and a lot of concentration to really enjoy, as is the case with a lot of tech thrash. Both of the main songs are solid but not great. Still, the main problem, is once again, the instrumentals. This time there are three of them, and two of them are pretty long, which is really annoying. Maybe some people like instrumental metal, but I don't, and it really gets in the way a lot. If you cut this album down to the meat of it - i.e. the five songs with vocals - it's very good, just be prepared for a sudden shift. Fans of blue collar USPM will very much enjoy the first half, while fans of tech speed/thrash will enjoy the second half more; the ideal listener likes both, but if you like either, definitely check this out.

Glory of the Knight - 87%

The_Boss, November 18th, 2009

Oblivion Knight are a rather obscure heavy metal band, releasing two demos in the late 80's and now a compilation album this year. The self-titled Oblivion Knight features the band's strongest material, focusing on a straight forward speed metal sound, old school and melodic. This focuses on a classic metal image right here, blazing riffs with great melody, powerful driving bass and vocals soaring over top with utter brazen power and command.

"Clash with the Knight" and "Sword in Hand" are great openers, preparing you for the melodic nature and old school sound that continues through Oblivion Knight's sound. Powerful speed riffs control the overall sound, with a powerful bass that doesn't just follow yet and kicks ass, remind you of Steve Harris? "The Omega" and "Vision" are two segue songs, featuring slow acoustic and melodies for a general atmosphere purpose, while kicking shit back up again and rocking the fuck out for the rest of the compilation. The best songs found here are the final four, with "The Eagle's War Night" and "Millenium" being the best, pure speed metal tracks of insane fury. Chris Collins is one hell of a vocalist, with great range and prowess, at times reminding me of Chris Sabian, Bobby "Leather Lungs" Lucas and the mighty Jon Oliva. Both these songs feature speed induced insanity with a melodic riff fest that I can't help but love. "Tales of Vandication" is a nice instrumental showing the variety of kicking it up to pure speed to a nice slower paced traditional metal sound.

Oblivion Knight has a great overall sound, very clean and melodic in nature though focusing on pure speed at most times. The riffs are present and powerful, the bass is solid and controlling with amazing soaring vocals. I can't find much to complain about here; it's a damn shame a full length album hasn't been released, but it's nice to see this 2009 compilation of the early demos from this underrated band. If you are fans of Trojan, Realm, Overlorde and a general old school speed metal sound, Oblivion Knight is right up your alley.