Showing posts with label Abnormality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abnormality. Show all posts

Thursday 16 June 2016

Abnormality "Mechanisms Of Omniscience" (2016)


My excitement for the news of Abnormality's sophomore record was high but faded quickly upon hearing it for the first time and many listens hasn't warmed me away from that initial disappointment. I discovered this band through their video for "Monarch Omega", a brutal onslaught of catchy demonic riffs and blinding blast beats. Their debut "Contaminating The Hive Mind" didn't quite deliver the same energy on every track but showed a lot of promise for a band who weren't trying to rewrite the rule book but carve their own style into an already heavily saturated Death Metal scene.

"Mechanisms Of Omniscience" hasn't left me with much to remark on other than a consistently flat feeling from one track to the next. Its hardly offensive, out of touch or missing the mark and the record is a consistent flow of tight and precise Death Metal from the ever rattling sonic drums to the frenetic guitar work and deep guttural vocals. With the exception of one track nothing in the record seems to break away or feel remarkable, its a constant drone of colorless brutality and dissonant guitar works that shifts, transforms and effortlessly flows through its arrangement of riffs that never culminating emotionally. The production and instrumental performances are on point but nothing meaningful emerges and even in its heaviness that adrenaline surge you'd expect is nowhere to be found. Its to much to be critical of that but no matter how many times I gave it a spin there was very little to be excited about.

Favorite Track: Synthetic Pathogenesis
Rating: 4/10

Friday 5 September 2014

Abnormality "Contaminating The Hive Mind" (2012)


In the Death Metal scene today there is a constant flood of new and emerging bands that, in my opinion, don't really offer much to the genre, or particularly go anywhere new or interesting. I thought Abnormality were one of those bands, I found there song "Monarch Omega" when browsing through the endless music videos youtube offers. Despite really enjoying that song, it took me some time to give this album a shot due to my prejudices with the scene.

Having finally got around to giving it a listen, i found was a solid record, one that doesn't try to be anything more that what it is, but delivers some memorable tunes. There is a very enjoyable creative approach to the riffing here that borders experimental at times, but doesn't stray to far from the bounds of the genre. It's a pretty typical Death Metal album, but it has an edge that will make you return when in that whiplash mood.

The recording of this album is crisp and clear, but nothing special, the guitars can be a bit muddy at times but overall the cohesion is good on these tracks, the drum kit has an especially punchy tone and a strong and pummeling presence in both the mix and the songs. Overall this is an easily enjoyed record.

Favorite Tracks: Monarch Omega, Taste Of Despair, Shooting The Messenger
Rating: 6/10