Alien was a big departure from Mesmer and Node. They lost some fans but I imagine they gained many more with the release of Alien.

Much of what made Alien so unique was the blend of synths, low tuned guitars, and killer hooks. Despite sounding different, Northlane managed to still inject breakdowns with screams. This kept me along for the ride.

IMO Obsidian is different in the sense that it seems very synth/electronic focused. They don’t seem as complimentary to the other instruments like they were in Alien. Instead I find myself feeling like the guys binged some early Kaskade albums and wanted to create a similar atmosphere where instrumentals can be fit into.

I don’t dislike the album. The opening track starts with an arpeggio, but then gets back to the basics that made me a fan in the first place.

What makes this album a bit stale for my taste is repetition. Many of the songs repeat the chorus and arrangements throughout the song. They seem more radio friendly, but I’m left wondering if they’ll even get radio play with the unique blend of electronic and metal they’ve stumbled into.