Interview by Ali Williams
Trying to kick off an interview while your tech does that fun little “betrayal at the worst possible moment” routine is a very modern way to start talking to the frontman of Obscura. Thankfully, Steffen Kummerer was unbothered, cheerful, and immediately in touring mode, calling in from Munich while the band’s next moves were already stacked: flying to the US on Sunday, detouring through France for rehearsals and pre-production, then rolling straight into a year that’s shaping up to be a monster. He casually drops that Obscura are playing 80 to 100 shows this year, then lists off a “long Asian run” that includes China, India, Japan, Mongolia, Armenia and Georgia. Most people need a nap after saying those words out loud. Steffen sounds excited.
The real reason for the chat, though, is Shredfest. Obscura have been here twice already: 2019 (a handful of shows with Alarum) and 2023 (a festival plus one sideshow), with that last visit being so tight they were in the country for less than 48 hours. Steffen calls it “brutal” in that very touring-band way: great show, great people, no time to actually be here. This time is the opposite. Shredfest brings Obscura back for 11 shows across Australia and New Zealand, including stops in Darwin and Hobart which even Steffen has been told are “absolutely not common” for international tours. He genuinely doesn’t know what to expect, which is half the fun.
He also explains why this run is set up the way it is. Shredfest is a travelling festival with five bands each night: two international acts (Obscura and Fallujah) plus two Australian bands (Ashen and Anoxia), then special guests added per show. The point is not to drag everyone through a “support acts are background noise” evening. The goal is a full day that rewards people who show up early, with proper production and a line-up designed to cover different corners of extreme metal. Ashen bring the more “orthodox” death metal end, Fallujah sit in the progressive lane, and Obscura… well, Steffen gives the diplomatic version: “techy or melodic, whatever you call it.” That little shrug of a line tells you a lot about the man.
There’s also a tasty detail for the collectors and the “I was there” crowd: Obscura are recording every show on this cycle, including audience mics, with the idea that one of these performances might become a future live release. Steffen is honest about the variables: the band has to play well (because, yes, not every day is perfect), and the crowd has to bring the noise. Then he throws the challenge back to fans: come through, have a good time, and you might end up on the next live album. No pressure, Australia.
Shredfest also sits inside the wider touring life of A Sonication, the album released around a year ago. Steffen says this cycle runs long, with touring planned through 2025 to 2028, and he doesn’t frame that as suffering or slog. He flat-out says if you love what you’re doing, it doesn’t feel like a burden. The only “therapy” he jokes about needing is afterwards, and his prescription is wonderfully simple: “I just need a bed.”
Steffen is grounded about why Obscura keep pushing outward. The band has been around since 2002, and he speaks with real pride about each album opening new countries and new audiences. He calls it a “gift” that people around the planet listen to music this extreme, and he repeats a mindset that’s become part of his touring philosophy: when you’re in another country, you’re a guest, so behave like one. That carries straight into why Obscura want to play more than just capital cities whenever possible, whether it’s Australia, Asia, the US, anywhere. He wants the band to see places, meet people, and actually experience something beyond venues and airports.
And yes, he’s already done the tourist checklist. Koalas, kangaroos, Opera House: tick, tick, tick. This time he wants the better version, the one made up of city life, local vibes, and whatever countryside the schedule allows. He’s also openly inviting tips from fans, including the truly unhinged ones. When I float shark diving, his response is pure Steffen: “never say no.” (I said I wouldn’t recommend it. I enjoy him remaining in one piece.)
By the end, Steffen’s ask is beautifully uncomplicated: come early, watch every band, hang out with your mates, have a few drinks, and support the entire bill from first to last. It’s the sort of request that should be obvious, but somehow still needs saying.
Shredfest isn’t being pitched as a single headliner moment. It’s being built as a full-day extreme metal hit, and if Obscura are going to the effort of doing 11 shows across our part of the world, the least we can do is show up properly and make it loud enough to matter.
Australian Tour Dates
03/09 AUS Perth – The Rosemount +^ with Allocer
04/09 AUS Adelaide – Lions Art Factory +^ with Tzun Tzu
05/09 AUS Brisbane – Soapbox +^ with Snake Mountain
09/09 AUS Canberra – The Baso #+^ with Blackened Dred
10/09 AUS Sydney – Manning Bar #+^ with Besomora
11/09 AUS Melbourne – The Corner #+^ with Munitions
13/09 AUS Darwin – The Ampitheatre ^+ with TBA
15/09 NZ Auckland – Whammy with TBA
16/09 NZ Wellington – Valhalla with TBA
17/09 NZ Christchurch – Churchills Tavern with TBA
19/09 AUS Hobart – Altar with TBA
Tickets on sale via www.yourmatebookings.com & https://www.shredfest.net/
