A quick glance at Abscess‘ lineup – members of Autopsy, early Death, and The Ravenous – and you know what you’re in for: primal, raw death metal straight from the grave. Dawn of Inhumanity
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There’s a dark streak of early hardcore punk running through Abscess, and it shows up most noticeably on “Never Sane Again” and “Darkside of a Broken Knife”. The cacophonous chorus riffs and go-for-broke vocals recall early COC and Black Flag, but run through the meat grinder of Hell Awaits and Black Metal.
Halfway through is “The Rotting Land”, a quasi-instrumental of high-tension guitars and raspy gurgles. It’s the soundtrack to the zombie apocalypse that death metal bands have prayed for since time began. That leads into “Dead Haze”, a fitting description for its doom-laden riffs and eerie ambience. Old-school DM should sound like it’s being played in the chapel from Kreator’s “Toxic Trace” video: foggy and evil. Atmosphere counts in this style, and Abscess have not forgotten that.
Is that picture the album cover? It’s totally mental. I must check out this one.
This is one of my anticipated releases of 2010. I’ve listened to a promo copy of this and I could safely say it’s up there with Tormented and Horror Hammer. The ballpoint pen visual treatment courtesy of Dennis Dread really works well with the filthy nature of Abscess. You can’t replicate that with Photoshop…or Pro Tools!
The production on this thing is nasty…sounds like an old ’70s record, actually. It suits them well. I like this album. Some of the riffs are utterly bizarre. Still a band that just doesn’t give a fuck…
I’ve had that album artwork as my wallpaper for a few months now.
Wow, that’s a lot of constipated gurgling…
The looks like the drawings I did in my school books when I was 14… I do not think it fits the primitive music, it just adds a juvenile feel to it.
“There’s a dark streak of early hardcore punk running through Abscess” that’s always been my problem with Abscess. I speak as a person that adores nearly everything Autopsy did, I want to like Abscess, I want to like Abscess I want to I want to buuuuuuuutt….. too much sloppy punk.
The song posted here is better (read: sounds like prime Autopsy) than I remembered past Abscess records being though so I might check out the new album, if only for the awesome cover art!
Yes, this is the best Abscess record by far. The band decided to stop underachieving and make a proper album. It has peaks and valleys and surprising depth.
I’m happy with this. Much better than their recent work (split with PopRedux, etc) while still holding firm to their punk vs classic death metal approach.
“too much sloppy punk” is NOT my problem with Abscess! My problem with Abscess is… well I don’t have one other than I don’t own this album yet. I definitely need to pick this one up, especially after reading this review.
it’s an odd album, in that it’s an actual ALBUM – listening to it in starts and stops really won’t do you any good. if you’ve heard Abscess they’re generally good for at least one chestburster of a track within the first 5-10 min of an album (Mourners Will Burn, Rusted Blood, Drink the Filth)…here there’s not that. i did alot better just letting it unfold. it really is there best album, hands down.