Album Review

XIII Minutes – “Obsessed” [Album Review]

From the artwork to the big, pristine recording, XIII Minutes have turned in a top-notch product with Obsessed – out April 5th via Rottweiler Records – that most metal fans are likely to dig.

Published

5 years ago

03/27/2019

Bruce Moore

Article Views: 653

The metalcore scene has become so watered down these days, and, if you are like me, you are probably thinking, “oh dang, not another metalcore band”. I think it is tough to find anything that stands out from the pack in this genre, but I am happy to say that XIII Minutes do just that. The group’s newest release, Obsessed, is chock full of crunchy riffs, huge breakdowns and just enough melodic uniqueness to separate them from the rest. Sure, there is only so much you can do within the confines of the genre, but XIII Minutes do it well enough to rise to the top of the heap.

“Sibling Rivalry” kicks things off with one of my favourite riffs on the record and, after a short intro, the guys are off and running with extremely powerful vocals layered atop a raging groove that is guaranteed to have to kids in the pit doing that crazy windmill thing and swinging their fists. “Victim-Less” then amps things up with an all-out brutal assault on the senses. “Machaira”, “Blue Flame”, and “Obsessed” continue the pounding and really get the blood flowing, and then something interesting happens. The band adds in what sounds to me like pop-punk vocals and, while the contrast between the screams and melodies are good, for me, the vibe changes too much. The ballad-esque “Out of Time”, while a decent tune on its own, also feels too out of place on this record.

With all that being said, this is a quality release; from the artwork to the big, pristine recording, these guys have turned in a top-notch product that I think metal fans, no matter what their preferred sub-genre is, are really going to dig.

XIII Minutes in 2018 by Oblivicus Photography.

Obsessed Track Listing:

01. Sibling Rivalry
02. Victim-Less
03. Self Portrait
04. Machaira
05. Blue Flame
06. Obsessed
07. Fragile
08. This Life
09. Who Told You
10. Water Vice
11. Out Of Time
12. When you Have Suffered
13. Reckless Love

Run Time: 47:09
Release Date: April 5, 2019
Record Label: Rottweiler Records

Give this track a listen, and soon enough you’ll be “Obsessed”.