The German progressive and technical death metal band Obscura is under scrutiny following allegations that their recent single “Evenfall,” from their forthcoming album A Sonication, contains plagiarized material.
Just days after the track’s release, Max Phelps of the band Exist claimed in an Instagram post that nearly half of “Evenfall” was directly lifted from an arrangement created by his band.
In his detailed post, Phelps specified that the allegedly plagiarized sections were written by former Obscura and Exist bassist Alex Weber. He asserted that these elements, which feature prominently in “Evenfall,” extend beyond the melody to include rhythmic ideas and instrumental arrangements. Phelps even provided specific timestamps where the allegedly copied material can be heard:
- 0:00 – 1:15
- 2:14 – 2:34
- 4:49 – 5:35
“This accounts for 2.5 minutes of a 5.5-minute song,” Phelps noted.
Phelps further stated that Obscura’s guitarist and vocalist Steffen Kummerer did not have permission to use these parts. He accused Kummerer of downplaying the issue by claiming he had “dramatically changed” the material, a claim Phelps vehemently denies.
“I never wanted to make a post like this, but I have to stand by my brother on it… the new Obscura song is stolen,” Phelps wrote. “These were not Steffen’s to use, and now he’s trying to brush Alex off by claiming that he ‘changed them dramatically.’ He didn’t—it’s not even remotely subjective, and copyright violations occur all the time over far bigger stretches.”
Despite their disappointment, Phelps emphasized his past friendship with Kummerer, noting his contributions to Exist’s growth, such as taking them on tour. However, he admitted that the situation felt like “a heel turn” and “a huge disappointment.”
Alex Weber also addressed the controversy in a Facebook post two days earlier. Alongside a video directly comparing his original composition with “Evenfall,” Weber voiced his frustration.
“I was REALLY hoping it wouldn’t come to this,” Weber began. “I’m not one to create drama, but I’m sad to hear that the new Obscura tune contains melodies I wrote and did not grant Steffen permission to use.
Before we left the band, we obtained written confirmation that the material we contributed would not be used. Yet, this video shows my melody was used note for note.”
Weber emphasized that the issue was not about money or attachment to the melody but about respect for intellectual property. He also expressed concern that additional compositions created by himself and former bandmate Chris might still be used without consent.
“It’s NOT okay to use someone else’s music without credit, no matter how much or how little was used,” Weber stated.
Both Phelps and Weber expressed their dismay at the situation, with Weber acknowledging the difficult circumstances Obscura faced following the departure of several members but condemning how the matter was handled.
On a lighter note, Phelps offered praise for current Obscura bassist Robin Zielhorst and expressed regret that newer members might be caught in the controversy.
Obscura’s record label, Nuclear Blast, has yet to comment on the matter. This story will be updated if further developments arise.