Artist: Abadir
Title: Antikosmos
Type: Album
Label: Digital / Unholy Dungeon Tapes
Abadir are a pretty new Italian two piece who I had just seen crop up on my feed in a couple of places and put them in my ‘to listen to’ list when they contacted me asking if I’d be interested in reviewing them. Thankfully by that time I was on the verge of a ‘yes, I’ll review this’ so I was saved having to send them my usual declaration of ‘I only review things I can enthuse about, so if I don’t it doesn’t mean its bad in my opinion at all’ explanation.
Coincidence is 90% of my musical life it seems. So here we are. Antikosmos (bonus points if you immediately thought of Arckanum…), and what appears to be a Greek/Roman themed
‘Thymos’ opens up full barrage; a surging black metal hammer riff and fine snarling, howling vocals. It’s a real punch to the head, so the slide into a cold, dark melodic part takes you unawares but as it picks up again it simply heightens the melody infused with the aggression. It’s a grand introduction no doubt at all. They seem perfectly aware of how to slip tempo and time changes in and yet bring it all back together with no jarring, no jump, just the relentless flow of pure black metal. ‘Abadir’ has a really down to earth riff to open, then twists itself into a grim and unforgiving mid tempo assault. The vocals work really well this this, like adding blasts of fire to the sound. Its fine old school black metal but still bursting the seams with a drive and passion. ‘Phobos’ has a moody, doomy intro but a full on wall of noise blast close behind it. Again the way they link the melody to the tempo shifts is superb and I am so impressed with the sound on here too.’Pandora’ has an almost (but not quite) shrill feel to the base melody, but also a fine moody and slow midsection showing that Abadir know the value of the tension that slower passages can create. And ‘Mneme’ just launches full on into a perfect, epic black metal drive and eerie tune through the riff and ‘Karonte’ pretty much just rages until the delicate midsection.
‘Megera’ is a more turbulent song. There is the rage, yes but it twists and bends throughout its length with real purpose. Perhaps suitable for one of the Erinyes. ‘Daimon’ has perhaps the cleanest melody of all the tracks here and it works so very well with the riff and showcases the variation Abadir can pluck from their arsenal. ‘Nyx’ with a bass heavy, slow intro and a pace as imperious as night herself and a great song. Perhaps I might have moved it up the order a song or two just to emphasise the variation on this album but, hey, I’m just a hamster/goblin on a keyboard.
We finish with ‘Nekya’ which is a trip into that wonderful world where the almost Finnish sounds creep in an flex around the riff. It draws out the eerie otherworldly feel of a fine close to an impressive debut.
This is a very, very impressive debut that promises so much for the future. Every single thing you would want is present here; atmosphere, variation, musicality and attack. A little more stirring of the pot and this could be the beginning of something special indeed.
Gizmo
Walking The Liminal Space 