Abyssal Vacuum : "s/t"

 

This is the French band's debut album. They play a unique style of atmospheric death metal. There is a fair amount of blasting and rumbling, but monks chanting and weird space sounds decorate this cavernous mix. The vocals vary throughout the main narrative; on the opening track tends to be a low growl. They are not trying to pay tribute to death metal's golden years but are stirring a dissonant cauldron sound. They do employ some black metal influences. They are most often heard in the drumming. The second song finds things in more of a half-time swing. The guitars are playing along by employing some tremolo-picked melodies to add to the blackened glaze over things. 

The songs hint at occult intentions in their delivery and the mood created here, though the lyrics are obscured as the vocals sit in the back of the mix. This leaves the vocals as more of a frequency. The choir of monk also factor into the ritualistic feel. By the third song, it's evident that their attention to atmosphere and melody is their strength, along with actually writing songs. The songs flow well, and the more explosive outbursts from the drummer do not take things off the rails. However, they come close at the beginning of the fourth song. Oh, yeah, and none of the songs have titles, just coordinates. The fourth song ebbs back and forth from a more weeping cascade of guitar that feels more black metal to faster, almost rushed blasts. 

Five songs in and a hurricane of double bass brings in a devastating tide of straight-up death metal, that might provide the hammering that your average death metal fan has been waiting for if that is what they listen to music for. Not sure the sampling guy is making the most of his time as it just sounds like he left the water running in the bathroom sink here. They also end things with a bigger, more death metal sound. It sounds great, but is also more conforming to the standard death metal expectations, and while effective, it does not display their strengths as much as the first four songs did. I will give this album an 8.5, they are onto something cool here for their first effort out, and I hope the future finds them diving deeper to the darker atmosphere this album captures. This album drops on Signal Rex May 2nd. 

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