Album Review: Abscession – Rot of Ages (Transcending Obscurity Records)

Carl Fisher 2 min read

Abscession’s new album ‘Rot of Ages’ is the epitome of immaculately balanced old school death metal music. It will be released on November 19th, 2021 via Transcending Obscurity Records.

A chunky and nauseous offering, Abscession draw from the wealth of world-wide death metal scenes to create their own bastardised version of extreme. Pounding at flesh, tearing through muscle and stamping on gristle to expose the nerves, it’s primitive death metal.

The hefty grift of Rat King Crawl sets things up nicely as Abscession create a ton of noise from the very start. Before Theater of Pain releases a ton of pent up aggression in throbbing fashion and Dead Man’s Hate has Abscession creating a whirlwind of malaise driven commotion.

With that in mind, it is nice to hear some cleaner guitar parts and a more melo-death themed offering in the form of Rains of Death. Whereas the title track has some obvious speed metal influences but also surprises with a sudden mid-point drop into quiet melody and clean singing. You certainly can’t say that Abscession aren’t a versatile band.

Though it’s back to a more familiar, but still exciting, blast of heaviness with The Final Furnace and War Machine. With the grandeur of When the Guillotine Falls jammed in between to keep things sounding fresh. The sort of switching that you might think would be clunky but Abscession are pros at this and make it all seem so simple.

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It’s that perceived simplicity which makes the complex detail all the more impactful and ensures this album goes down as one of 2021’s finest extreme releases. Capped off with the rager that is Prometheus Unbound and the 80’s vibe, synth-only atmospheric finale of Eta Della Putrefazione. Try to explain that finale in relation to the rest of the album, we dare you.

Abscession – Rot of Ages Full Track Listing:

1. Rat King Crawl
2. Theater of Pain
3. Dead Man’s Hate
4. Rains of Death
5. Rot of Ages
6. The Final Furnace
7. When the Guillotine Falls
8. War Machine
9. Prometheus Unbound
10. Eta Della Putrefazione




Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Transcending Obscurity Records

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Abscession - Rot of Ages (Transcending Obscurity Records)
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