Release Date- 4th February 2022
Label- Prosthetic Records
Dystopian Black Metal (BM) trio, Abhoria may be here to piss on your utopia but, if they are doing it by creating an album this good they can let it all flow out.
The album, which was recorded remotely (for obvious reasons) includes members of Ashen Horde (BM), Catheter (Death Metal/ Grindcore) and Vimana (Technical Death Metal). One could argue, three similar, but different styles of the metal scene. As intimidating as ‘Dystopian Black Metal’ may sound; Abhoria have left the door slightly ajar for you to come sit down for a cuppa and throw away any set ideas you have on BM.
So what does Dystopian BM sound like? Well, the first thing that stands out on the record is the production. This is not a classic BM album that sounds like it was recorded in a trash can. It sounds massive, with a polished production, while at the same time capturing the power and brutality of the band. Musically you can hear the different backgrounds of each member. There are the classic elements of BM in the vocals but it also has those catchy elements found in technical death metal. There are similarities in the riffs, and sounds with that of Norwegian BM band Thorns, at times.
Album opener ‘False Idols’ holds no punches and is an instant head-banger. Right off the bat, memorable ear-worm riffs and in your face rhythm section. So clean and well executed it will have listeners intrigued for what is in store form the rest of the album.
The album creates a desolate atmosphere which, when mixed with the styles of music, one would think it would be a challenging listen. However, this album has a funny way of pumping up the endorphins and make this a very gratifying album. In this current climate, where everything does indeed seem bleak and at times insufferable, this is in fact a perfect album to escape into and forget about the outside world for the best part of 40 minutes.
This is an album that certainly needs more than one, two or three listens, to be fully absorbed and appreciate the masterful skill of the three musicians. Each time it’s thrown on there are riffs, guitar lines or fills that would have been missed in previous spins, and this is why this album is so good.
Closing track ‘Sunless’, which as you would imagine is a dark track, has a stomping drum beat driving through with added complex fills and double bass rolls. Also on this track, clean vocals shine through (excuse the pun) on this very clever and catchy song. Vocally to start it is very doomy but the switch between styles of pained cleans and gravel like growls adds another element to the song.
Holistically this album has everything that the modern metal head needs. Filled with atmosphere and crushing riffs, alongside the BM vocals. Hats off to Abhoria for this brilliant release so early in the year.
January was a good month for releases in the genre. Abhoria have made early February a very good start to the month.
8/10
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