Abysmal Torment - The Misanthrope
Abysmal Torment from Malta is a brutal death metal machine already known in the global underground. "The Misanthrope" is their 4th full length album, 4 years after "Cultivate The Apostate".
The cover artwork of the album is an edited photo of a rather confused and disappointed old man's face with the band's logo stamped in red on his forehead. Combined with the title of the album I knew that this one would be sick. And it is!
After an intro entitled "Revelation" the massacre begins. The homonymous song for which the band made a video gets you right from the neck. The intensity is well preserved throughout the 10 tracks of the album. The band wisely adds breaks and slower parts to their songs only to make you impatient for the next attack and add to the overall feeling.
Guitar riffing is solid throughout with nice harmonies. There are some great ideas on the riffs and when they slow down, intensity is increased. The grooviest parts are chugging and add to the brutality reminding me of the old days of brutal death metal. The technical parts are Suffocation/Dying Fetus influenced but Abysmal Torment have digested their influences very well. Whenever present the lead parts are scale performed, not just the typical Slayer style tremolo picking.
Thick rhythm section which enriches the sound. The double bass is astonishingly pounding and the bass guitar makes the groove damn huge. The double vocals of Nick Farrugia and Melchior Borg give a massive result with the high-pitched vocals bringing to mind Deicide thus giving a seminar in how brutal double vocals should be executed. The production of the album is heavy and aggressive highlighting the band's technical skills.
If you enjoy brutal death metal with technical parts, you will listen here one of the best records in this genre for 2018. Abysmal Torment do get the groove right.
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The cover artwork of the album is an edited photo of a rather confused and disappointed old man's face with the band's logo stamped in red on his forehead. Combined with the title of the album I knew that this one would be sick. And it is!
After an intro entitled "Revelation" the massacre begins. The homonymous song for which the band made a video gets you right from the neck. The intensity is well preserved throughout the 10 tracks of the album. The band wisely adds breaks and slower parts to their songs only to make you impatient for the next attack and add to the overall feeling.
Guitar riffing is solid throughout with nice harmonies. There are some great ideas on the riffs and when they slow down, intensity is increased. The grooviest parts are chugging and add to the brutality reminding me of the old days of brutal death metal. The technical parts are Suffocation/Dying Fetus influenced but Abysmal Torment have digested their influences very well. Whenever present the lead parts are scale performed, not just the typical Slayer style tremolo picking.
Thick rhythm section which enriches the sound. The double bass is astonishingly pounding and the bass guitar makes the groove damn huge. The double vocals of Nick Farrugia and Melchior Borg give a massive result with the high-pitched vocals bringing to mind Deicide thus giving a seminar in how brutal double vocals should be executed. The production of the album is heavy and aggressive highlighting the band's technical skills.
If you enjoy brutal death metal with technical parts, you will listen here one of the best records in this genre for 2018. Abysmal Torment do get the groove right.
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1. Revelation
2. The Misanthrope
3. Second Death
4. Squalid Thoughts
5. Dread
6. Path Of Impiety
7. The Pessimist
8. Strains Of Brutality
9. Worship None
10. Iconoclast
2. The Misanthrope
3. Second Death
4. Squalid Thoughts
5. Dread
6. Path Of Impiety
7. The Pessimist
8. Strains Of Brutality
9. Worship None
10. Iconoclast
