[Review] Abduction - ‘Existentialismus’ LP.
Author: Dean
Grab a black coffee or glass of red wine (depending on the time of day). We’re about to get heavy and philosophical as Abduction leads us on a reflective 45 minute journey of contemplation of the human condition.
It’s amazing to contemplate that this class act from the UK is only starting to garner attention from overseas audiences following the release of their outstanding fourth LP Black Blood in 2022.
If you are new to Abduction, welcome to an exhilarating ride. This one-man black metal maestro appeared in 2016, and is part of an emerging powerhouse of younger/new generation UK black metal bands. I strongly recommend that you at least invest the time to listen to Black Blood, which is a phenomenally visceral construction of modern black metal.
Abduction is the endeavour of one elusive man who goes by the moniker of A|V. He is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. As well as composing noteworthy black metal he lives in the countryside of North England, raising a family, chopping wood, learning German and philosophising humanity's self imposed importance on this planet.
As for his live musicians; they lend A|V their talent from such UK black metal bands as: The Sun’s Journey Through The Night and Revenant Marquis. They also go by noir-themed monikers, so trying to identify them equates to an ID-check on one of the Black Riders from Tolkien’s Lord of The Rings. (Just don’t go there).
True to its title, Existentialismus through its presentation of 6 tracks at a neat 45 minutes, offers confronting truths about understanding our position of frailty in the midst of a nihilistic worldview. Nothing seems more poignant after recently watching the presser coming out of the USA. On his Facebook profile, A|V declares that he is “In opposition to everything”.
On the whole, Existentialismus delivers a definitive black metal foundation with a modern progressive feel. It contains immaculately-composed transitions and breakdowns that are not only musically competent, but also appeal to both heart and mind.
The album opener, ‘A Legacy of Sores’, opens triumphantly with blistering rhythms overlaid with an accent of recurring catchy bass melody, this is accented by a lead refrain sharp and prickly in tone, consistent with reliable recognisable black metal. Refraining from the familiar witch screams that have become synonymous with black metal, A|V unleashes a deep resonant evil sounding rumble.
The bridge between verses pings the catchy tremolo refrain and builds to a nasty break down, deliberately slower the blast beats capped with a recurring pound of the tom drum and ferocious smashing of the crash cymbal, A|V vehemently spits out the chorus as the lead refrain whirs demonically up and down the fretboard.
Just when you're settling into this maelstrom, the composition lingers on one distorted chord, bass notes and finger-picking leading us intrepidly before transitioning into a rising black metal storm of blasting bass drum, fast chords and that killer tune emanating from the lead guitar.
A|V’s lyrics are now bordering on his commanding guttural scream, which fades out into this intermittent pounding of the skins. The final switch and we are presented with this mid-tempo build of sludgy chords, pounding bass and a black-and-roll sounding riff. If you’re not headbanging with a pleasant smile of surprise on your face, then you are nodding in agreement with A|V’s summation of the self-elating ignorance we as a generation now find ourselves in. Blindsiding ourselves with our self-projections and self-identity in our era of social media, we no longer appreciate the legacy of our forebears and the tumultuous past. A past which called for such demonstrations of resilience and tenacity, transpiring to what now is a thankless self-absorbed generation of non appreciative glory-seekers. (Glory for what? Begs the question).
‘Pyramidia Liberi’ = Conspiratorial motives, self destruction, the inevitable master of death visits us all. Society is built on the promises or downright illusion of freedom, but the descendents of those who fought for such are becoming subtly enslaved by corrupt masters through the insidious appeal to our basic human instincts, need for continual validation (digital likes), our addiction to smartphones and the urge for continual self gratification. Ok? I warned you at the outset, we are going to get D&M with this album.
That sinister motive is encapsulated in the fusion of raw Death Metal-scaped drumming over the blastbeats. That familiar ‘pop, pop, pop’ of the toms. This is particularly noticeable in the chorus; the guitars are twangy and discordant in their ‘creeping death’ rise and fall. A|V’s vocals are intensely scary and dominant, raspy and vicious enough to compete with Attilla Csihar. There is a considerable Mayhem influence on this track - and that’s a good thing.
The third track rings out with a shrill guitar tone over the top of a groove-laden drum pattern, and a beautifully viscous bassline, dripping like black lava flow at the edge of a ravine. A conversation ensues between a psychiatrist and his patient:
‘How do you describe yourself?
‘As nothing, there is no self’
How would you like to be remembered?’
‘Doesn’t matter’
‘What were your dreams as a child?
‘Nightmares…’
You would be forgiven for thinking this is the evocative work of Mgla or Gaerea and that holds all the way through the 8 minutes 48 seconds of this track. This is a transcendent modern black metal voyage pondering at the futility of mankind and our inevitable demise at our own hands.
‘Truth is as Sharp a Sword as Vengeance’ conveys the notion that humanity has reached a point of being so far up our own arseholes with self-importance, that we are losing touch with what is truly important for our continued existence. “The ever present, ever-growing deepest secret, never knowing. Nightshade waits and in its’ wake, the terrifying reality of time”.
There is a complete anguish, and emotional rawness in A|V’s voice, an overarching despair set over this post modern guitar tone that conveys the same feeling of desperation.
Equating himself with Sisyphus pushing the metaphorical burden uphill in futility, A|V cries out in pain for the uncertainty of his son and, as a parent, I totally get it. We do our best in the hope that our children can somehow embrace a better future and they can enjoy some semblance of security, but there are no guarantees and the darkness seems to be closing, as stupidity and ignorance lead us blindly forward.
Track 4 - ‘Blau ist die Farbe der Ewigkeit’ (Blue is the colour of Eternity), is a ferocious, raucous black metal wake-up call - like a brick to the head! A|V’s introspection is a juxtaposition to the blitzkrieg furiosity of reckless evil embodied in the pounding rhythm. The lyrics are screamed in desperate furor over a guitar riff that blasts out like terminal destruction. “The point of collapse, The slow death of an empire waltzing. The point of collapse. Spiralling towards the sewer”. This track is going to drag you into hell…
Appropriately followed by what begins as a more contemplative tone, track 5 ‘Razors of Occam’ is an epic masterpiece of progressive black metal. What A|V has constructed here is nothing short of monumental both musically and emotionally. It captivated me from the first hearing and it still holds me in wonder with each listen. This is so emotionally raw and intense that resigning yourself to the inextricable demise of humanity you’ll go down with a face held high holding the Black Metal flag aloft.
Stripping back some of the more intricate atmospheric layers which were present on ‘Black Blood’ and focusing more on the power of the instrumentation itself has worked wonders on this album and none is more evident than this track. The slow build of the eerie synth chords and enigmatic guitar melody set to the choral harmonies of A|V (and I’m guessing one or two others in the band of black riders) eventually break into a hard hitting black metal apocalypse like waves crashing relentlessly upon an eroding shore.
A|V’s ‘Bluuughhh’ he vomits out as the power chords hammer out the central riff will make you want to rip off your shirt like Groundskeeper Willie in The Simpsons. After all this track is about the honesty and integrity of our forebears, their hard work, their perseverance and resilience ultimately resulting in their survival and celebration of a well spent life. Bequeathing us, their descendants, our opportunity to live fulfilling lives, despite our preoccupation with the inane and shallow existence ever being sold to us by morally corrupt organisations devoid of values.
“There is more honour in the last gasping breath
Spilled forth from a dying old man’s chest
Than all the seas of all the tears the younger can conjure
For with one wish they’d give it all away…”
Track 6: ‘Vomiting at Baalbek’ is an evil and hectically-paced black metal circle-jerk for 11 minutes. The drumming is frantic and the tremolo guitarwork is catchy as Covid during a Trump term. The ring of the crash cymbal leads into a peeky little guitar riff at 4:15, and then you're swept back into the demented euphoria of eventual mutually-assured destruction.
Midway through the track at the 6:25 mark, A|V spews forth “You are nothing…” and the guitars drift over a sustained synth chord, the music swelling and building with doomy, stompy resonance. Concurrently, A|V reminds us that humanity is constantly trying to satisfy our own egos, and cravings for the flesh have forsaken the virtue of hindsight in contemplating our future. At 7:45 the track breaks open to a tight groove, with a nice up-beat for you to get into a hypnotic headbang to close out the track. A|V belts out his closing lines: “A dreamer’s disease, The discipline of Dionisus, No forest for trees, wretched self belief, You are nothing…’”
And on that note, I must go and see to my mother’s welfare. Thank you Abduction for that valuable 45 minutes of introspection.
8 well worn shovels out of 10!
