Artist: ABORTED
Album: ENGINEERING THE DEAD REISSUE (CD)

Year: 2001/ 2007
Media type: CD

While most extreme bands depend on harsh imagery and gruesome subject matter to obtain some sort of shock value, Belgium's ABORTED relies more on their musicianship to make jaws drop. Far more sophisticated than your average melodic / gore-grind outfit, the band has been refining their carnal artistry for the past decade. Sickeningly infectious guitar hooks, inhuman drumming, devastating bottom end and the massive roar of Svencho De Caluwй have put the band at the top of many fan and critic lists of extreme metal acts. Now, much as Goremageddon (2003) was a giant leap forward from Engineering the Dead (2001), The Archaic Abattoir sees the band taking their special brand of aural violence to the next level.

Founded by De Caluwй in 1995, the band went on to record such early cult offerings as The Necrotorous Chronicles demo (1997), The Purity of Perversion (1999), their infamous split with Christ Denied (2000) and Engineering The Dead (2001). The latter coincided with their first major European tour, which included Vader, Cryptopsy, Dying Fetus, Kataklysm and Catastrophic. In January of 2002, they would contribute to a four-way spilt CD featuring Misery Index, Brodequin and Drowning, titled Created To Kill.

While Engineering the Dead was a strong death metal opus in its own right, Goremageddon was precisely what the doctor ordered. Goremageddon saw the band adding a more melodic Carcass-like influence to their destructive repertoire. Not since the release of Entombed’s Left Hand Path had so many artist scrambled to achieve a similar sound. A European tour with Cannibal Corpse and Kataklysm soon followed, as did their The Haematobic EP. The group was now ready to prepare material for their next major work of majestic death.

The Archaic Abattoir further capitalizes on the progress that was made on Goremageddon and even takes it a step further. The songs range from the all-out brutal grind they're known for, to more experimental tracks that find them exploring different tempos and grooves.

But make no mistake: The Archaic Abattoir is still a monster of a record that holds no shortage of brutality. The band has always kept their death metal roots, but at the same time, they have never been afraid to experiment. Had Carcass decided not to throw in the towel and progress in a heavier, tighter and more technically advanced direction, they would probably sound something like ABORTED. The drumming of Gilles Dellecroix is perhaps some of the most technically advanced yet tasteful death metal drumming put to tape. Furthermore, the vocal talents of De Caluwй combine the legendary low/high snarls of Bill Steer and Jeff Walker (Carcass) into one schizophrenic person while still displaying his own unique identity. Guest appearances by Bo Summer (Illdisposed), Michael Bogballe (Mnemic) and Jacob Bredahl (Hatesphere) bring even vocal more variation to the mix as well.

With the release of Goremageddon, ABORTED had achieved a production to be coveted by many imitators, and the band has stepped things up once again with * The Archaic Abattoir *. Produced this time around by Tue Madsen (The Haunted, Mnemic, Panzerchrist, Ektomorph, Destiny), the vocals cut through the mix seamlessly, while the guitars possess some of the thickest yet clearest tones ever recorded. The drum sound is warm and human, which is something that cannot be said of most of their contemporaries. Don't be surprised if this album becomes a reference point for bands and engineers for the next 10 years down the line.

One of extreme music's brightest new stars, ABORTED are soon to be one of the most influential artists in the genre. Now primed to explode onto the international metal scene, their clinically inspired assault won't remain a secret for much longer. Be warned, the new Gods of surgically precise gore-grind have arrived !

TRACKLIST:

the holocaust incarnate
nailed through her cunt
to roast & grind
engineering the dead
eructations of carnal artistry
sphinctral enthrallment
skullfuck crescendo
exhuming the infested

bonus material:

the holocaust incarnate 06
genetic murder concept
suffer the children (napalm death)

LINE-UP:

SVEN: vocals
SEB: guitar
PETER: guitar
SVEN J.: Bass
DAN: drums