Sunday, June 19, 2022

ITP V.022 REVIEW: ABBATH: "DREAD REAVER"

 



   BAND: ABBATH (BERGEN, NORWAY)



GENRE: BLACK METAL

LABEL: SEASON OF MIST

RELEASE DATE: 3/25/2022

TITLE: "DREAD REAVER"



 

 





PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG) :

"OUTSTRIDER", 7/5/2019 via SEASON OF MIST. 
"ABBATH", 1/22/2016 via SEASON OF MIST. 
 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                        

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BEST RELEASE(S):"DREAD REAVER" (2022)


 


 

 

ABBATH: "DREAD REAVER"   TRACK-LISTING: 

1. "ACID HAZE"

2. "SCARRED CORE"

3. "DREAM CULT"

4. "MYRMIDON"

5. "THE DEEP UNBOUND"

6. "SEPTENTRION"

7. "TRAPPED UNDER ICE (METALLICA COVER)" 

8. "THE BOOK OF BREATH"

9. "DREAD REAVER"


 

 

 

 

ITP RATING ****
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE:**** 1/2

 

Bergen, Norway based and former IMMORTAL guitarist/vocalist OLVE EIKEMO formed ABBATH in 2015. ABBATH left Norwegian black metal legends IMMORTAL after tensions in the band and created ABBATH with other musicians. 

"DREAD REAVER" is ABBATH's third release, as after rehab, comings, goings and more lineup changes, ABBATH is back. 

ABBATH'S  "DREAD REAVER" kicks off with "ACID HAZE", a heavy track with definitive riffing, solos, blast beats and damn, this is HEAVY. ABBATH's black metal rasps complete the track as one is blasted into oblivion. I love that scream at the end of "ACID HAZE".

 ABBATH'S  "SCARRED CORE" features mid paced and very HEAVY thrash consolidated by melodic riffs, searing guitar solos and ABBATH'S trademark raspy black metal vox with bit of clean vocals. 

.ABBATH'S "DREAM CULT" opens with classically inspired acoustic guitars, played perfectly as the full band kick in with a slightly cleaner vocal style from ABBATH. . "DREAM CULT" features an understated melodic blend in both vocal delivery and guitar playing. Over all, "DREAM CULT"  is ABBATH's most accessible track to date.

ABBATH'S "MYRMIDON" also features a melodic blend, dabbling in black and roll."MYRMIDON" blends MOTORHEAD influences with seething black metal. At 2;30,  "MYRMIDON"  kicks it up a few notches into blackened, speed metal, complete with blast beats and rapid vocal phrasings. Awesome!!!.

 ABBATH'S "THE DEEP UNBOUND" is a banger complete with blast beats, pinch harmonic guitars and an icy atmosphere from Northlands anyone can relate to. I can imagine the mosh pits to this track. 

 ABBATH'S  "SEPTENTRION" is another banger, in a mid pace with a slower breakdown. "SEPTENTRION speeds up with some awesome guitar solos and that malevolent main riff is to die for. 

ABBATH'S cover of METALLICA'S."TRAPPED UNDER ICE" is awesome. A blackened metal METALLICA cover complete with blistering solos, even heavier than the original... 

ABBATH'S  "THE BOOK OF BREATH" sounds like a track that would represent well live as it features good solos and a variety of good, rolling thrash riffs. At 2;44, "THE BOOK OF BREATH" breaks for a slower bridge and back to misanthropy. 

ABBATH'S "DREAD REAVER" closes with the title track a deadly,  thrash riffing anthem with spoken word and mid paced heaviness. 

Now that ABBATH is three releases into his own band, I'm NOT going to compare ABBATH's "DREAD REAVER" to his former band IMMORTAL. However, despite the legal battles that put IMMORTAL on temporary hiatus and spawned a new band. ABBATH seems like a likable character, full of good times humor, a sort of populist metal veteran with an 80's influence. 

While I didn't really catch on to ABBATH'S first pair of releases, I AM impressed by "DREAD REAVER". 

ABBATH'S "DREAD REAVER" is a heavier than hell blackened, thrash release chock full of awesome riffing, great musicianship and quality songwriting. 

ABBATH'S "DREAD REAVER" loud drums and inaudible bass. However, the instrumentation .can be heard without sacrificing the raw heaviness. 

ABBATH must be a huge MOTORHEAD fan (he's even been in a MOTORHEAD cover band) as the "Lemmy" influence can be heard through out "DREAD REAVER". 

Over all, .ABBATH'S "DREAD REAVER" is an enjoyable, gem of a release that will get replay value. 

 

 ITP RATING ****
PRODUCTION: ****
SONGWRITING:****
PERFORMANCE:**** 1/2

 

ABBATH: "DREAD REAVER": 

https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2022/03/abbath-post-new-release-dread-reaver.html

 

 

 

 

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ITP V.022 REVIEW: ABBATH: "DREAD REAVER" by Theresa Geteles is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://spak-individualthoughtpatterns.blogspot.com/2022/06/itp-v022-review-abbath-dread-reaver.html.
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