Brandon Yeagle/harmonica, vocals; Chris Bishop/guitar
Photo Credit: Kira Bishop
According to definitions found on the interwebs, obsidian is an igneous rock formed when lava cools quickly.
According to a quick check of upcoming rock and roll dates to remember, Obsidian, American rockers Crobot’s 5th album, will be released on September 13th.
Obsidian is a stone of clarity that helps release stress and tension. Let’s see if Crobot’s Obsidian does the same. Of course, it won’t be a stone of clarity, it’ll be a ROCK of clarity.
For the uninitiated, Crobot started in 2011. Vocalist Brandon Yeagley, and guitarist Chris Bishop formed the band in Pennsylvania, and since then, have released 4 studio albums, 2 EPs, and soon, their 5th full length record album, the aforementioned Obsidian.
Crobot’s 2022 release, Feel This, was a bonafide rocker, and will be a tough one to follow up.
Obsidian opens with the title track, an absolute crusher. Chris Bishop’s riff sets the tone for the whole tune. Brandon Yeagley is an absolute beast of a vocalist, and the rhythm section of Pat Seals on bass and Dan Ryan on drums compliment the riffage perfectly. Bishop’s solo is straight and to the point, proving that you don’t necessarily need flashy, billion note solos to impress listeners. Good lord, the drums are stellar on this track, and what a scream near the end.
Come Down is a slow plodding rocker, that explodes into a double bass drum chug-fest. Bishop is kind of famous for his cool guitar sounds, and this track features some very spaceshippy sounds. However, this song, as awesome as the musicianship is on it, belongs to Yeagley. Brandon is a legitimate powerhouse in rock. If this was released in the 90s, these guys would have been headlining arenas. Come Down shows the range and power of his voice. No idea what he’s singing about. It could be about butterflies and puppy dogs for all I know, but who cares when it sounds like that. If this was released in the 90s, these guys would have been headlining arenas.
With some songs, you just know from the first note or chord that it’s going to be a ripper. Nothing is just that. Another great riff, cool solo and great vocals about something, or nothing. This is just pure, in-your-face rock and roll, and that is precisely what you expect from Crobot. A quick shoutout to producer and mixer, Alberto De Icaza, for the stellar sound on Obsidian. Everything is exactly as it should be mix wise.
From The Ground will make this review sound a bit repetitive, but it’s another great riff. Wow, there is a lot of great guitar work on this album. Little fills, solid crunchy sound. Definitely downtuned heaviness. Why is this band not huge? “No I can’t keep my head/And I can’t keep the sky from crumblin'”. There is some serious subject matter being discussed on this album. It would be interesting to chat with Brandon about what he was thinking when he wrote this stuff, or maybe it’s more fun when you don’t know exactly what he’s talking about.
Guess what? Disappear is a solid rocker. I feel like a dirty vinyl record that keeps skipping. “You know I never disappear”. I hope not. I WANT MORE CROBOT ALREADY! This dude’s voice must be shot at the end of a gig. He’s putting everything he’s got into this.
Metal is, you guessed it, very metal sounding. You might need a nap after this one. In your face solo that’s the opposite of what was mentioned before. A billion notes in this one, and they’re all awesome, followed by a killer drum solo section. Fun tune.
Narrated intro, followed by an ultra heavy riff kicks off The Flood. Brandon with some growling. Reviewing this album is a test of synonyms for ‘rockin”.
To save time and space, Ancient Druid Crowd, Head Of The Beast and White Rabbit knock you socks off with more of the same awesomeness, before Happiness, an acoustic, folky change of pace wraps up the album. It sounds like Brandon’s obsisian did in fact release his stress and tension. This is a beautiful song, with a very different vocal approach. What a great way to end Obsidian! Oh, and there’s a really tasty extended guitar solo from Bishop. Happiness could be the tune that propels these dudes into the next level of stardom. Fantastic song
THE BOTTOM LINE
As previously mentioned a time or two, Obsidian absolutely rocks. The big question entering the listening of this record was, can Crobot top Feel This? Yep, they can…and did.
The songwriting has improved, the vocals are steady as ever, the guitars are sharp and in your face, the rhythm section is a monster.
Obsidian is by far Crobot’s best album, and that’s saying a lot.
The obsidian worked. The stress is gone, and I need a nap.
Fantastic music from a fantastic band.
THE ALBUM
THE BAND
Pat Seals – Bass;
Dan Ryan – Drums
Brandon Yeagley – Harmonica, Vocals;
Chris Bishop – Guitar
THE DISCOGRAPHY
2012 – Legend of the Spaceborne Killer (EP)
2014 – Crobot (EP)
2014 – Something Supernatural
2016 – Welcome To Fat City
2019 – Motherbrain
2021 – Rat Child (EP)
2022 – Feel This
2024 – Obsidian
THE SOCIALS
OFFICIAL SITE: https://crobotband.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/crobotband
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/crobotband/
TWITTER or X or Whatever: https://twitter.com/crobotband
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/crobotband
Let's Rock 