Description
Legendary Japanese metal band Saber Tiger release their first new studio album in three years with the phenomenal Obscure Diversity, an album which proves that the band are at the absolute peak of their powers, moving ever forward and proving true talent and fire knows no age.
Obscure Diversity shows a band that has no intention of slowing down more than three and a half decades after their genesis. If anything, their trademark blend of classy melodicism and fierce intensity is in better balance than ever. Tracks like speed monsters The Crowbar Case and Permanent Rage feature every aspect that fans have come to expect from Saber Tiger; from the whirlwind guitar work of Akihito Kinoshita and Yasuharu Tanaka to Takenori Shimoyama’s passionate vocals and the intricate rhythms of drummer Yasuhiro Mizuno and bassist hibiki. Beat Of The War Drums is heavy and modern, while more atmospheric tracks like The Shade Of Holy Light and The Forever Throneshow a surprisingly introspective side of the band without sacrificing any of the band’s renowned heaviness. Distant Signals, hibiki’s first songwriting contribution to Saber Tiger’s body of work, even manages to take the band to surprisingly progressive territories. Saber Tiger pulls all of these musical directions off with equal class and conviction, truly accounting for the diversity that they have promised in the album’s title.
Album cover created by Hayato Nove. Concept by Fubito Endo.
Track listing:
01. Daguerreotype Of Phineas Gage | 02. The Crowbar Case | 03. The Worst Enemy | 04. Stain | 05. Beat Of The War Drums | 06. Distant Signals | 07. The Shade Of Holy Light | 08. Permanent Rage | 09. Seize Your Moment | 10. Divide To Deny | 11. Paradigm And Parody | 12. The Forever Throne | Bonus Track: 13. The Forever Throne (Acoustic Version)
Mixed and mastered by Simone Mularoni, guitarist of Italian progressive power metal band DGM and owner of the Domination Studio in San Marino.
Obscure Diversity | Released October 10th, 2018 on Sliptrick Records
Saber Tiger are:
Takenori Shimoyama – Vocal | Akihito Kinoshita – Guitar | Yasuharu Tanaka – Guitar | Yasuhiro Mizuno – Drums | Hibiki – Bass
Band links: Official Website | Facebook | Youtube | Twitter | On Sliptrick
metal-temple.com –
SABER TIGER, the long-running Japanese based outfit has released “Obscure Diversity”, a concept album which rolls out as if a war has erupted, it displays a band who may be on the scene a number of years but, they are at their creative peak only now. The album glides back and forth across that line between progressive and straightforward balls out metal, a winning combination if done right, SABER TIGER hit the mark in every sense …read more
diosesdelmetal.org –
La verdad es que, si te gusta esta mezcla de estilos, este disco supondrá un notable resultado en tu búsqueda, a pesar de su origen y sabiendo cómo se las gastan normalmente los grupos orientales, lo que aquí tenemos es una versión europeizada más. Con un inglés bastante bueno, su experimentado vocalista desprende fuerza y la garra que necesitan las guitarras junto a la base rítmica …read more
nosnouvellesreviews.com –
C’est vrai que l’on oubli souvent que les groupes Japonais sont beaucoup plus sérieux et ambitieux que ce que l’on pourrait croire. Ce nouvel album de Saber Tiger n’est pas ici pour « enfiler des perles », et de par sa qualité globale, il pourrait en surprendre plus d’un …read more
vianocturna2000 –
Com uma carreira de mais três décadas e meia de existência, nada parece parar estes nipónicos que lançam com Obscure Diversity o melhor balanço de sempre no seu jeito de criar melodia e intensidade. Há temas speedados com intrincados trabalhos de bateria e guitarra (The Crowbar Case ou Permanente Rage), há heavy moderno (Beat Of The War Drums) e há momentos atmosféricos (The Shade Of Holy Light ou The Forever Throne), com uma abordagem introspetiva. O curioso é que os Saber Tiger seguem estas direções musicais sem comprometer a sua convicção de como fazer bom power/prog metal …read more
themedianmanblog –
“Phineas Gage,” is epic and haunting, with the choral arrangements working perfectly for the song. “The Crowbar Case,” comes barrelling in with a solid riff, and a thumping back drop, snarling and biting. “The Worst Enemy,” another snaking and snarling riff fest, brilliantly executed. “Stain.” another song that filters through with power and grace. “Beat Of The War Drums,” is a snarling monstrosity that delivers powerful riffs and soaring vocals. “Distant Signals,” comes in with a nice little filter off one and two, before slowly shifting and changing. “The Shade Of Holy Light,” brings epic vocals, melodies and choral arrangements to the fore.
“Permanent Rage,” grits and snarls, taking the vocals to a new plain. “Seize Your Moment,” twists and turns across the sphere, taking it in turns to awe the listener and make them feel truly powerful. “Divide To Deny,” a snaking monster that moves from one place to another, with grace and power. “Paradigm and Parody,” a song that is filled with energy. “The Forever Throne,” another song that is filled with power …read more