This new OBTEST effort is a big step from their Black or Pagan approach on their previous albums. Okay, there are still blastbeats or rather: fast thrashing parts and the vocals didn’t change very much. To my ears “ Iš Kartos Į Kartą” is simply a (good) Metal record sung in an “exotic” (sorry) language. Especially the first seven songs live from an almost irresitable drive and some of the guitar harmonies remind me of RUNNING WILD (I used to love those guys in their heydays). Combined with OBTEST’s own approach to melodies, this somehow works. At least for me. With this new direction OBTEST’s vocals sound increasingly more monotonous, though. It’s probably just because of me thinking in drawers: extreme vocals with extreme music and traditional Metal with melodic vocals. On “Iš Kartos Į Kartą” OBTEST simply don’t belong to the extreme bands anymore. No big deal but maybe the vocals department might try to transport more emotions next time at least. Or whatever. Finally, I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed because I liked OBTEST’s vision of Pagan Metal on “Auka Seniens Dievams”. But the catchy, yet never cheap melodies on “Iš Kartos Į Kartą” probably need slightly more time to fully convince me. I’m always slow with changes once I got to like something. Anyway, “ Iš Kartos Į Kartą” is a truly good Metal album and it deserves to be heard. www.obtest.lt