Description
Black vinyl with lyric insert
There are probably very few black metal bands that have been active since the 1990s and they still release top notch albums. Abigor are one of the first names that pop in my head when thinking of those bands. In their latest effort Abigor prove once again that they are one of the essential names of both the old and the new ages. Höllenzwang (Chronicles Of Perdition) has all the attributes that make an Abigor album easily distinguishable such as ferocious drumming, busy guitars that in constant conflict with each other and sturdy bass lines. This 2018 work from the Austrian lot might prove to be one of their most important-keep in mind that their last full length was Leytmotif Luzifer (The 7 Temptations of Man) in 2014 which was a feast for the ears of any black metal fanatic. In Höllenzwang the band again looks to the past without stopping to move forward. This particular approach renders every Abigor album as an exemplary black metal album, from the eternal classic that is Nachthymnen to the more experimental Fractal Possession and anything before, betwixt and after those. Höllenzwang surprisingly does not surpass 40 minutes in length at just 35:57 but those are more than enough for the band to unleash a visceral attack against the listener. And probably sums up what black metal is when it comes to the music. Visceral, ravaging art with total disregard to the listener’s sentiments, holding its own values and purposes and submits only to them. Abigor have never been anything else. They are totally anti-commercial, and the fact that they released this album independently further cements what I’m trying to state here. Abigor did not just release an album that has a black metal sound and the such. They released an opus that is black metal in essence, a work that could be nothing else but black metal in its purest form. Höllenzwang (Chronicles Of Perdition) is a compelling and fascinating work that honours and continues the legacy of black metal without compromise.
Track list:
1. All Hail Darkness And Evil
2. Sword Of Silence
3. Our Lord’s Arrival – Black Death Sathanas
4. The Cold Breath Of Satan
5. None Before Him
6. Olden Days
7. Hymn To The Flaming Void
8. Christ’s Descent Into Hell
9. Ancient Fog Of Evil