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Absu: Absu
16/03/09 || Euthanatos
Guess I’m a little late with this, since the March Audio Autopsy has this one covered, but Absu is kind of a big deal and we should be a bit more thorough with their return. As has been mentioned, Absu is one of the very few interesting black metal acts from the U.S., and to be honest I’m always a little hesitant in categorizing them as solely in that genre. There are a lot of elements that go into Absu’s music, and in this self-titled album, this rings truer than ever.
“Tara”, the previous album, was a relentless ass-pounding machine, deeply entrenched in the blackened thrash mode of songwriting. “Absu” is quite different than that, although there are a lot off thrashy riffs here, there is a lot more variety to the songs, a greater sense of melody as well. There are many bits and pieces to be cherished with headphones, for instance, and while not as high on the epic scale as “The Sun of Tiphareth”, there is enough here to keep you entertained for more than one sitting.
Proscriptor’s drumming naturally has to come as the highlight, he sounds secure and determined, with righteous double-bass action that is to murder for. I also really like the aforementioned guitar work, as well as the synthesizers, keyboards, whatever, you know, the stuff that simulates orchestrations. It all fits perfectly with the music and sets a killer atmosphere.
The lyrics are your usual fucked up, occult stuff that is great for metal songs, but only make any sense to people that spell magic with a k (See “In The Name Of Auebothiabathabaithobeuee”, for instance. That’s just fucking gold). I enjoy them, though, I think they’re a perfect match for Absu’s music.
Alas, although there has been nothing but praise so far, I must confess this album falls a tad short from my expectations. There is nothing inherently wrong with it, but it also lacks anything of a “wow” factor. “The Sun of Tiphareth” and “The Third Storm of Cythraul” (by the way, you should check out two very good reviews by Baalzamon666 of those albums here and here) are rightfully called masterpieces, and even the straight-forward “Tara” deserves rich praises and to be on the pantheon of greats.
“Absu”, on the other hand, is a cooler, more contrived Absu. It’s a little bit too much by the books, and I can’t help feeling that a return should warrant some more balls.
It’s a good album, but I think history will look down on it as one of the lesser Absu records.
The cover: It’s very Absu-nian.
6 esoteric towers out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 2009
- Label: Candlelight Records
- Website: www.absu.us
- Band
- Sir Proscriptor McGovern: drums, percussion, vocals, mellotron
- Zawicizuz: guitars, synthesizers
- Aethyris MacKay: guitars, synthesizers
- Ezezu: bass, vocals
- Tracklist
- 01. Between the Absu of Eridu & Erech
- 02. Night Fire Canonization
- 03. Amy
- 04. Nunbarshegunu
- 05. 13 Globes
- 06. …of the Dead Who Never Rest in Their Tombs Are the Attendance of Familiar Spirits Including: A.) Diversified Signs Inscribed/B.) Our Earth of Black/C.) Voor
- 07. Magic(k) Square Cipher
- 08. In the Name of Auebothiabathabaithobeuee
- 09. Girra’s Temple
- 10. Those of the Void Will Re-Enter
- 11. Sceptre Command
- 12. Ye Uttuku Spells
- 13. Twix Yesterday, the Day & the Morrow
