Absu: Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. (1993)

I covered this release very briefly when I first received a copy of it some time ago, but that was just a small paragraph.  This time around, I received it when I picked up an Absu box set, so I will be taking a closer look at it.

Absu is one of the most famous black metal bands from the U.S.  The band has a distinctive sound that is an electrifying mix of black metal and thrash metal.  On most of their releases anyway.  Spurred by the inhuman and maniacal drumming of Proscriptor, their music is fast and intense, but with an eerie, occult atmosphere. 

This is Absu's debut album and it is significantly different than their later albums would be.  The primary musical style here is more of a death metal take on Celtic Frost's Into the Pandemonium, complete with some of the more unusual elements that made that album so unpredictable.  There are multiple moments where operatic, female vocals shine through and other more ambient passages.  These moments come across as strange and unexpected, but actually serve the music reasonably well.  There are several songs where Absu's later black metal-oriented sound shines through, but these are in the minority, compared to the crushing death metal songs.

Absu was still finding their way with this release, and it is not one of the albums frequently mentioned when discussing the works of the band.  Nevertheless, there is something intriguing about the album.  It works, even though there is nothing else like it in the band's catalog.