Review Camera Obscura Two

Tracks
1. My Ways Are Not Your Ways
2. To Bleed To Feel Alive
3. Stalked By The Eye Of No God
4. Need For Limited Loss
5. (She's) The Enemy
6. The Bitterest Drop (Part 1)
7. [hidden track]
8. Swamp Angel*
9. Deathstress**

Band:
Alberto Penzin - 4 string bass
Andrea Ragusa - 5 string bass
Marco Mastrobuono - guitars
Giuseppe Orlando - drums
Giulio The Bastard - vocals

Discography:
Debut

Guests:
Marco Montagna - Additional lead guitars & vibrato bar
Steven "Void" Fischer - Add. effects & underground cinematics

Info:
Tracked by Marco "Cinghio" Mastrobuono and Giuseppe Orlando at Kick Recording & Outer Sound Studios, Roma, Italy.
Additional tracking by Carlo Altobelli and Graziano Manuele at Toxic Basement Studios, Carate Brianza, Milano IT and Ueickap Studio, Scordia, Catania, Italy.
Additional guitar and bass tracking by Haldor Grunberg at MAQ Records & Satanic Audio, Katowice, Poland.
Mixed + Mastered by Marco "Cinghio" Mastrobuono and Giuseppe Orlando at Kick Recording, Roma, Italy.
*Originally written & performed by Schizo, Catania IT, 1997
**Originally written & performed by Schizo, Catania IT, 1987
*+**Drum parts recorded by Wilfred Ho, Hong Kong HK
Illustration & cover design by Szymon Siech, Warsaw PL
Music & lyrics [except *+**] by Alberto Penzin, Wroclaw PL
All arrangements & art configuration by Camera Obscura Two
Add. “Nasum” guitar arrangements by Marco C. Mastrobuono

Released 2021-02-12
Reviewed 2021-02-28

Links:
bandcamp
youtube
selfmadegod

Camera Obscura Two is what this band calls itself, CO2, perhaps that is because there was a synthpop band that called itself Camera Obscura – and like these guys they haven’t done that much of a mark. Dates like 10/10/10 and 11/11/11 are important to the band, the first when the singer joined main man Penzin and the second when the second bassist Ragusa joined the band. Since then there was quite a while until it was time for this debut album called D.Ö.D. and this first album marks the departure of singer The Bastard, a new singer will be announced ahead of the next album. So, what about one and only album with The Bastard as a singer?

Musically this album is quite aggressive, the vocals are of bastard kind and quite aggressive as well as angry. It is a short and direct album, no real surprises just about half an hour of aggressive songs with the exception of the quiet hidden track that gives the album a short break before the ending two tracks. I don’t think the thrash/death metal style they do is particularly fresh or exciting, the only thing making a slight difference is the silence of the hidden track while the songs are just the same kind of aggression that countless bands have done before – I don’t think they bring anything new to the stage here.

The good thing is the untamed aggression, but there are many albums like that and there is nothing really fresh or exciting about this one. It is hard to see this album making much of a mark, or that the new voice that comes for the next album will make much of a difference – it just isn’t an album that stands out. It might appeal to fans of the genre, but I am not so sure about that.

If you like the similar artists mentioned or music of that kind it is possible that you will find this album pretty agreeable, perhaps even good. But I am pretty sure that most music fans will find this album pretty uninteresting, and I would say that there are more interesting albums for those looking for the next musical discovery – this album is fairly dull.

HHHHHHH

Camera Obscura Two D.Ö.D.

Camera Obscura Two
D.Ö.D.