ABOMINANT : WHERE DEMONS DWELL . 2010 DEATHGASM RECORDS.

ABOMINANT : WHERE DEMONS DWELL . 2010 DEATHGASM RECORDS.

Review By: Mike Abominator

These death metal maniacs have been in the metal underground since 1993. And coming from the state of Kentucky, Abominant has been unleashing their brand of killer metal for years now. “Where Demons Dwell” is their 9th album. 9 ALBUMS! INSANE! It does seem like yesterday that I heard about a new band forming in the ashes of Sarcoma(the first death metal band that I remember from Kentucky) and members of the other long time death metal merchants Assisting Sorrow. With this album Abominant continues their reign of death metal. This album shall catapult them into legendary status now.

“Baptized By Steel” has the familiar war themed intro that this band uses and then here comes the death. The evil open riffs and drum rolls give way to the blasting fast part that kicks things off. Then the verse part/riff comes in, and back to the main riff, back to the chorus. KILLER arrangement! I’m reminded of prime Morbid Angel here with the riffs. So far, everything sounds very “Blessed Are The Sick”, which is GREAT! The slower part makes you want to bang your head clean off. Once the song gets fast again it shreds with a more black metal feel, then back to the fast main part/verse again. There is a bad ass slower tempo double bass part that kills to end the song. “Bloodland” starts off with a great guitar riff that is evil and melodic at the same time. Abominant have always been great at mixing melody and heaviness. Their melodic parts never sound lame or to “wussy” as some would say. This song is no different. It has an almost black metal feel to it. It is a total balls out fast banger that doesn’t let up until you are all bloodied on the floor in a daze. Oh no, Abominant isn’t killing you yet! Not quite! This is a slow process of beatings and torture! The blasting mixes well with the fast one/two beats. There is also a killer mid paced banging part that goes into a slower break, that if your head is still on your neck, good luck with keeping it this time! Then back to the fast banging! ARGHHHHH!!!!!! KILLER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Firestorm” also starts with a killer riff and fast blasting. This song starts off almost total old school grind! The way the riffs are played. It is like Morbid Angel/Terrorizer. The break riff is amazing. It has a total evil vibe going on. Has quite a classic feel to it. It has that soul destroying style as well. Then the song ends with all kinds of fast banging going on. And the riffs that make up this tornado of death are all killer. “Rain Of Ash” blasts next. Again more of a black metal feel to it. The middle part of the song has a killer mid paced banging part. That is another thing that Abominant has always been good at, the thrashier elements thrown in that make it that much more catchy. It is a perfect break from all the ripping fast parts that have slaughtered everything so far. It then goes into a killer, almost Destruction part on speed that would make Destruction proud. And back to the fast banging main riff to end it. Abominant have some of the style of black thrash, but they also have more of a death metal feel to them that sets them apart.

“After The Fallout” begins the 2nd half of the album with a slow guitar part/drum build up. The beat kicks in and this song is defeinatley different! But it works great and kicks into a heavy as fuck slower/middle paced riff that has the vocals on it. Heavy fucking stuff here! This song has a doomy feel to it. The slow, prodding riffs creep along with abysmal pace. Then the fast part kicks in and has a couple of awesome fast banging riffs going on. It heads back into the slower, doomier stuff to finish the song. Reminds me of old Obituary here on this one! “The Wolves Of Hate” starts with killer riffs and drums rolls, then goes into my favorite riff of the album so far. It blast away with intensity and sadness at the same time. It is that perfect mixture of blackened death. One of those riffs that I wish I wrote! The mid/fast banging part that kicks into the one/two beat is also killer. It has another fast part that does the Morbid Angel style again, and then ends with the classic riff/arrangement. AWESOME!!!!!! “Blackened Earth” is next and it starts with the familiar blasting away again. It gets into a fast one/two beat and back and forth. There is a slow and melodic break that comes in that will be a sure headbanging part live. The song goes back into the fast banging from the beginning and ends. Another killer banger for sure! After a short intro of some eerie classical music the title track brings this album to a close. It has the fast banging blast parts. The riff is awesome and strong. A fast one/two part also comes in with the blasting for a change up like before. Once the black/death mid paced part kicks in to give you a break from the ripping fast madness, your head now has no hope(if it is still even on your head!) It will fly, clean off at this point. It gets back into the fast banging again, complete with insane guitar solo orgies of death. And the yet another mid paced banger of a riff that reminds me a bit of Bolt Thrower. What a killer song!

Abominant gets my respect for being from Kentucky. Bands that come from big cities take shit for granted and it’s easier for them to find places to play. There are also “scenes” there with plenty of people for support. A smaller town band, from a state not recognized for metal, has many obstacles to over come to get their music heard. PLUS Abominant have been doing it for YEARS now. Even MORE respect! And to top it all off, they have been putting out quality albums this whole time. Any metal head out there would enjoy this band, and any of their 8 albums. “Where Demons Dwell” might just be their best, and as I said, it should put them in the classic status that they deserve. They have a perfect mix of death metal and black metal on here, as well as the usual thrash elements. Fans of the older, less technical Morbid Angel will dig this album. And fans of black thrash mixed with American death metal will dig this as well! One thing Abominant never has a shortage of is good riffs! Riff after riffs is shredded on here. And vocalist Mike Barnes can growl and scream with the best of them! The guitar solos are done well and fit perfectly. And the production is strong and heavy. Great job guys! Keep putting out killer albums like this for another 20 years!!!!!!!!!

www.myspace.com/abominant