Swedish act Oblivious are no strangers to fans of the Transubstans Records roster, and their latest CD Creating Meaning sees them once again delivering what they do best, which is groove laden, catchy, '70s styled hard rock. Bluesy, heavy rock riffs and melodic, often times laid back vocals permeate most of these songs, which are littered with sinewy guitar riffs and solos that appear to take their influence in such vintage acts as Led Zeppelin, Humble Pie, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad, and Cactus. Of course, you might say that this formula is representative of many of the Transubstans acts, which is partly true, but Oblivious seem to favor melodic hooks over pummeling riffs when compared to some of their roster mates, which makes for a pleasing, if at times somewhat laid back, listening experience.
Tracks like "Silver Tongue" and "Deluded Darling" pack a nice punch, with some sizzling riffs and slashing lead guitar work supporting the memorable vocal hooks nicely. "What a Trip' features some serious grooves and might remind some of Clutch, and "By the Neck" has a swampy, Southern Rock/doom thing going on that brings to mind the great band Down. If it's pure riff-o-rama you crave, then you can't go wrong with "You Are the Wall", and the tender ballad "Entering the Night" provides the albums most poignant moments.
Though I would have liked the band to have provided a bit more 'thunder' in spots, this is still a very strong release of hard rocking '70s styled material with a modern twist. Yes, another winner from the folks at Transubstans!
Track Listing
01 Silver Tongue
02 Strike Gold
03 Deluded Darling
04 Bjälken I Ditt Öga
05 What A Trip
06 By The Neck
07 You Are The Wall
08 Entering The Night
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