Absu's Return Album is Amazing
To Mega Therion | MA, USA | 02/27/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having been a long time Absu fan I was very surprised to hear that they were coming out with a new album. Shaftiel and Equitant have departed the band though they both helped write some material on the album. The band's main member drummer/vocalist Proscriptor is in top form on the album. The drum work is the most amazing that I have ever heard on any recording. The guitar work on the album is somewhat different from traditional Absu material but I find it more intense, and I believe it works better with Proscriptor's drumming. The lyrics for the album are driven on occult concepts from Thelema and the Qabalah to Sumerian myths. Stand out songs are "Amy", "Of the Dead .......", "Girra's Temple", "Sceptre Command", and for me personally Absu's best song "Magic(k) Square Cipher" which tops "Stone of Destiny" from their previous release Tara. Even though these songs are stand outs I can't say that there is a single bad song on the entire album, in fact this is my favorite black metal (or should I say Mythological Occult Metal?) release from any band. In case you are wondering there is only one instrumental type song and that is track 13 "Twix Yesterday, The Day & the Morrow"."
Absu goes Melodeath...
avgvstvs | Omaha NE | 06/10/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the most melodic of any Absu album previously recorded, and in the grand scheme of things ends up being the best album from the group I've ever listened to. (It places similarly to Arsis's "We are the Nightmare" in terms of guitar tone.)
I've criticized the band before for sounding like the non-brutal, non-downtuned version of Nile, but that aspect of their sound is completely abandoned on this album. Decidedly less Black Metal and more Death this time around.
The lyrical fare isn't drastically different but with the guitar tone shift is a vocal shift that sits closer to Melechesh. It is very clear to me that there is an influence from "Emmisaries" when listening to this record--but its really negligible in anything outside of vocal style.
There is a few instances of riff-patterns being used, so the band loses a bit on the creativity side of things... however it is pulled off so brilliantly and coherently that I simply couldn't downgrade it.
The only other thing I can find to criticize is the snare drum has a melodic "trash-can" tone that I've never been able to like, but that's something that is more taste than anything else.
My vote for best track is "Those of the Void Will Re-Enter." Definitely the epic piece of the album."
Serious Black Metal
Kevin Beirne | Chicago, IL USA | 02/16/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Being the first time I have heard ABSU, I have to say I feel as though I have been missing out BIG TIME!! This album just came out in 2009 and they have several others, which I am already looking to buy! Super fast drums, very sick black metal styled riffs, killer Aurora Borealis style vocals, and crushing arrangements in a blackened death metal vein. I listened to this three times in a row all the way through before coming up for air!! I recommend that you buy this immediately if you want another album in your extreme metal collection that you love to hear AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!! Seriously, this album rules...."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1