Abigail
Welcome All Hellfuckers
[Drakkar]
Yes, once again those crazy Japanese bastards have decided to grace us with another release, this time in the form of a mini-cd. Arguably Japans finest extreme metal export (Sigh anyone?), for those of you familiar with this gropus work, it wont come as a surprise to hear Abigail spring into action from the word ‘Go!’ . Abigail play a form of black metal/thrash but with this album it feels as if they have turned down the black metal a notch to concentrate on the thrashier aspects.
Seems as if in the down time they have had since the brilliant and totally aggro ‘Intercourse and Lust’ the boys have taken another step back from the black metal scene . In fact, at many points during this album it feels as if I am not listening to a black metal band at all. If anything id say it was a more black metal/thrash/punk merger. Case in point, the fourth track ‘War 666’, complete with screams of ‘Come on!!!’ and slight off-sounding drumming sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place on a harsher punk album.
Not that there is nothing wrong with that, this definitely isn’t a punk album - Abigail know what they are doing and what they do is great. The bass plods along nicely through out this album, content to stay in the background and support the low end and not falling into the trouble that many ‘troo’ metal bands face , with a weak tinny sound lacking any decent bass work. Not surprisingly, the drums are relentless , constantly pounding away and not once stopping to come up for air. Combined with Yasuyuki's attempt to scream himself hoarse , their decent thrashy riffing means that japans finest have once again left us with with a fine album indeed. On occasion we are treated to a solo or two, and while they are half decent they neither add nor detract from the listening experience.
If you didn’t mind Intercourse and Lust then youll have no trouble getting into ‘Welcome All Hellfuckers’ . Add on 2 live tracks, which sound rather good, and all is well.
8/10
© 2003 hassan
Seems as if in the down time they have had since the brilliant and totally aggro ‘Intercourse and Lust’ the boys have taken another step back from the black metal scene . In fact, at many points during this album it feels as if I am not listening to a black metal band at all. If anything id say it was a more black metal/thrash/punk merger. Case in point, the fourth track ‘War 666’, complete with screams of ‘Come on!!!’ and slight off-sounding drumming sounds like it wouldn’t be out of place on a harsher punk album.
Not that there is nothing wrong with that, this definitely isn’t a punk album - Abigail know what they are doing and what they do is great. The bass plods along nicely through out this album, content to stay in the background and support the low end and not falling into the trouble that many ‘troo’ metal bands face , with a weak tinny sound lacking any decent bass work. Not surprisingly, the drums are relentless , constantly pounding away and not once stopping to come up for air. Combined with Yasuyuki's attempt to scream himself hoarse , their decent thrashy riffing means that japans finest have once again left us with with a fine album indeed. On occasion we are treated to a solo or two, and while they are half decent they neither add nor detract from the listening experience.
If you didn’t mind Intercourse and Lust then youll have no trouble getting into ‘Welcome All Hellfuckers’ . Add on 2 live tracks, which sound rather good, and all is well.
8/10
© 2003 hassan