Dreadful Relic |Ancient Obsession |Nuclear War Now! Productions

Release Date December 31^st, 2025
Format CD, Digital, Vinyl
Genre Black Mythical Metal
Country United States

Dreadful Relic spawned into the extreme underground several years ago, dropping their debut album "Hyborian Sorcery" in 2018. Following a few lineup shifts, the musicians dropped the "Archeomania" demo, giving a savage preview of the black metal devastation they were brewing. Now, they return with "Ancient Obsession," an assault heavily inspired by the primordial roots of extreme music. This new full-length visibly improves upon their earlier material in composition and delivery.

The sonic attack on "Ancient Obsession" relies entirely on the sacred laws laid down by early Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, and Bathory. This is primitive black metal played with strict militaristic precision. The six-string work is heavily composed, locking in flawlessly with militarized drumming. Savage guitar leads and crazed shrieks tear through the mix. The engineering is completely transparent, granting immense force and substance to the entire onslaught. The musicians sidestep cheap mimicry, opting instead to compose genuine, violent anthems.

The lyrical content summons a primordial age where the boundaries between life, death, magic, and combat disintegrate. The words channel archaic heathen cosmology alongside the savage warriors of Robert E. Howard’s realms and the mind-bending terrors of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos. These subjects are treated with absolute seriousness, acting as an allegorical strike against a modern world that crushes noble traditions under cheap, vulgar imitations. The whole package operates as a call to arms for spiritual warfare.

Thomas Holm, the legendary artist behind classic Mercyful Fate and King Diamond covers, provides the visual representation for this release. The painting entirely matches the sinister auditory violence contained within the tracks. Dreadful Relic delivers a massive, aggressive strike with "Ancient Obsession". It is a harsh, militant attack tailored strictly for total underground maniacs.

Score: 7.0

https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/ancient-obsession

https://www.dreadfulrelic.com/