ABRAHAM
As with label-mates Earthship, Abraham unleash their second full length offering through Pelagic Records a year and a half after their debut. And, like Earthship, this Swiss quintet have upped the ante in both their compositional abilities and its execution. Apparently, band members stumbled across an early twentieth century novel by J.G. Rawls at a flea market, 'The Chronoception', a book where the ambiguous authorship has been widely debated as Rawls might have merely been a moniker fabricated by a couple of students who were actually responsible for his work. Speculation is rife that Rawls never actually existed. And if online 'facts' are to be believed then 'The Chronoception' only had a print run of around fifty copies and, to this day, has never been re-printed. Something of a rare discovery then for Abraham and a somewhat esoteric source of inspiration for their latest album.... where underground literature meets underground metal if you will.
So what of this rare novel? Well, Abraham have lifted ideas and central themes from the book for their lyrics rather than a direct narrative adaptation which includes "falling from grace; primal fear; physical pain; loneliness and mystical visions." It's stirring stuff that's reflected as much in the music as I'm guessing it is in the lyrics - without access to the actual words on this promo copy of the album, lyrics are generally indecipherable through Olivier Hähnel's growled vocals. Thus my focus on the band's exploration of these themes is on the music and, in this, they succeed. Abraham's sound is geared primarily towards a sludge bias with nicely layered dissonance through a skilfully mixed amalgam of aggressive vocals, distorted and semi-distorted innovative guitar work, resonant bass and inventive drumming. Layers have been weaved at one into a well rounded whole at the hand of Cult of Luna's Magnus Lindberg, the man responsible for the most wonderful of mixes on 'The Serpent, The Prophet & The Whore'. And, as a whole, the overall effect Abraham have created through their music is a thoroughly bleak one with darkly sonic despair exuding from every bar of music. This is gloom, misery and anguish at its most profoundly woeful so you'd definitely have to be in a certain frame of mind to appreciate the album's merits. However, when you do click with its wretched disposition then mark my words, it'll be a rewarding listening experience.
So what of this rare novel? Well, Abraham have lifted ideas and central themes from the book for their lyrics rather than a direct narrative adaptation which includes "falling from grace; primal fear; physical pain; loneliness and mystical visions." It's stirring stuff that's reflected as much in the music as I'm guessing it is in the lyrics - without access to the actual words on this promo copy of the album, lyrics are generally indecipherable through Olivier Hähnel's growled vocals. Thus my focus on the band's exploration of these themes is on the music and, in this, they succeed. Abraham's sound is geared primarily towards a sludge bias with nicely layered dissonance through a skilfully mixed amalgam of aggressive vocals, distorted and semi-distorted innovative guitar work, resonant bass and inventive drumming. Layers have been weaved at one into a well rounded whole at the hand of Cult of Luna's Magnus Lindberg, the man responsible for the most wonderful of mixes on 'The Serpent, The Prophet & The Whore'. And, as a whole, the overall effect Abraham have created through their music is a thoroughly bleak one with darkly sonic despair exuding from every bar of music. This is gloom, misery and anguish at its most profoundly woeful so you'd definitely have to be in a certain frame of mind to appreciate the album's merits. However, when you do click with its wretched disposition then mark my words, it'll be a rewarding listening experience.
LABEL:
FORMAT:
Pelagic Records
Album
THE SERPENT, THE PROPHET & THE WHORE
Review by Mark Holmes
RUNNING TIME:
46:06
RELEASE DATE:
1st Oct 2012
TRACK LISTING
1) Start With a Heartbeat
2) Man The Serpent
3) The Great Dismemberment
4) New King, Dark Prophet
5) This is Not a Dead Man, Yet
6) Carcasses
7) The Chymical Fiance
8) Dawn
2) Man The Serpent
3) The Great Dismemberment
4) New King, Dark Prophet
5) This is Not a Dead Man, Yet
6) Carcasses
7) The Chymical Fiance
8) Dawn
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:
Switzerland
"...where underground literature meets underground metal..."
