Description

Reduced price due to a slightly pale spot over the barcode

Rare original Austrian 1998 cd promo in promo paper sleeve.

Abigor are a classic example of 90’s progressive/technical black metal at it’s prime. They were often overshadowed by the Norwegian scene bands like Emperor, Enslaved, Satyricon etc. and also by fellow countrymen Summoning with their more conventional approach, but all of Abigor’s albums contain at least some merit. Songs utilize jigsaw-like technical guitar work which often counterpoint between each other at odd tempo’s and songs sprawl out like mini impressionistic masterpieces, many riffs which repeat only a few times per song and interrupted at various points with keyboard/ambient interludes that invoke either pagan medieval atmospheres and/or cosmic spaceness. It usually takes me some time to digest an Abigor album as their songs aren’t as immediately grabbing as other aforementioned bands but I personally think that’s part of their strength as there is so much going on this is really sophisticated and ultimately rewarding music that I can return to time and again. Here we have Supreme Immortal Art, an album which follows the very streamlined and straightforward Apocalypse EP by doing the exact opposite. The keyboards here are at full blast which is I suppose in keeping with the time period 1998 when every band was getting the keyboard treatment and reminds me a bit of releases from Limbonic Art, Summoning (naturally due to the excellent and distinctive vocals of Silenius) and of course Emperor in it’s complexity and symphonic majesty. While the keys might have turned off some fans I think they are very well suited to the material which utilizes more classical structure than before. If you are a fan of aggressive symphonic black metal then this album is one of the best. It showcases the bands incredible growth as musicians from the early days.

Track list:
1. Satan In Me
2. Supreme Immortal Art
3. Soil Of Souls
4. Eclipse My Heart, Crown Me King
5. The Spirit Of Venus
6. Blood And Soil
7. Magic Glass Monument
8. Exhausted Remnants