Abyssic awakes darkness again.
Created in Norway in 1997 under the name of Abyssic Dreams, the band changes its name in 2012 before signing with Osmose Productions. A first album was released in 2016, a second in 2019, then Memnoch (vocals/bass, Antiqva, ex-Old Man’s Child, ex-Susperia), André Aaslie (keyboards, Funeral), Elvorn (guitar, Susperia), Makhashanah (bass, ex-Sirenia, Asagraum live) and Tjodalv (drums, Susperia, ex-Dimmu Borgir, ex-Old Man’s Child) announce the release of Brought Forth in Iniquity for 2022.
The album opens with the ominous sound of Cold as Winter Storm, a majestic yet violent first composition which lets the band introduce us to their different influences before vocals join the mix. Impressive orchestral sonorities accompany massive screams and heavy riffs in an incredibly oppressive way, making the band’s sound as sublime as burdensome, especially on the final part which guides us to Chronicle of the Dead and its crushing slowness. The contrast with the aery keyboards is once again very intense, and if the rhythmic gradually calms down, it finally explodes to become even more powerful by integrating sometimes heady leads, then the track lets Mirror of Sorrow take over by revealing more stifling and mysterious tones. The sound will also offer short breaks before returning to its raw aggressiveness and original darkness, while developing a striking melancholy before Djevelens Lys unveils its fury under a frantic rhythmic topped by martial sounds. Riffs slow down to let darkness invade us, but the aggressiveness is never far, and it won’t be long before it resurfaces to strike with all its strength. Brought Forth in Iniquity, the last track, is an extremely long composition of more than eighteen minutes which allows the band melt its heavy and dark oppression accompanied by impressive vocal parts and majestic orchestrations with soft and bewitching cuts to let us catch our breath before we suffocating again.
Abyssic has an incredibly contrasted identity. Between the riffs’ Blackened Doom Death and the majestic symphonic orchestrations which still know how to be martial, Brought Forth in Iniquity is one of this year’s must hear.
95/100