Illusory

I first discovered Absvrdist early in 2012 on the SMN death metal forum, where multi-instrumentalist Marlon Friday posted the first demos of his new act. At the time I was blown away by the few sample songs released to Youtube, and I can clearly remember thinking that if Absvrdist releases a full-length this year it would most assuredly be on my year-end top 10 list. With Illusory, Absvrdist have created a heart-pounding, head-banging mini-masterpiece of “blackened grind”, seamlessly blending furious grindcore tactics with gut-wrenching black metal evocations.

What impresses me most about Absvrdist’s debut is how it doesn’t abuse or neglect it’s multitude of influences consistently throughout the record’s brief twenty-six minute duration. Songs flow into and out of each other easily and transitions between song segments feel fluid, most notably in places where a significant stylistic change occurs. Even instantly segwaying from grinding raucousness to bleak grimness is handled with class and in a manner that seems neither pompous nor awkward. The simple congruity of Illusory as a whole is immediately appealing, begging the listener for dozens of repeat full-album listens.

Production-wise, this record shines in it’s clarity. Every minute detail of drummer Lyle Cooper’s antics behind the kit are captured and thrust atop the mix. Luckily, the rhythmic section does not overshadow Marlon’s extremely tight riffage even during moments of absolute chaos. Vocal duties are shared and employ a variety of styles including tortured high rasps, mid-range gutturals and the occasional punky gang vocal. As a listener I always want to hear vocals underneath the mix a bit and Absvrdist delivers in this regard, keeping any vocal passage from interrupting comprehension of the instrumental complexities. Conversely, many songs include a memorable and powerful vocal line or two that rides over a chorus-like segment, again cementing my thoughts on the attractive interaction between styles over the duration of Illusory. The mix is about as dry as the Atacama Desert, and fittingly so. The technical prowess on display deserves nothing less than perfect audibility, and in music as jagged and abrasive as Absvrdist’s brand of black grind nearly any amount of reverb or delay would surely detract.

It is hard to pick out any songs that stand above the others, but my personal favorites are “Amongst Humans”, the title-track “Illusory” and forty-four second “Weakness”. “Amongst Humans” opens with a black metal-esque guitar sequence that builds into an atmospheric lividity reminiscent of some Swedish black metal greats. Not thirty seconds into the grand build, the mood swings into an intensely head-bangable pattern accompanied by beautifully gasping vocal swells. The opening guitar theme returns at the end and transitions without pause into “Illusory”. Chunky guitar riffs and frantic blasting juxtapose the prior song’s atmospheric tinges perfectly; that is until “Illusory” heads back into the depths of dark driving melody at around the track’s halfway point. This song’s conclusion catches me off guard every time, as the dry and brooding solo acoustic guitar has become one of my favorite subtle touches on this album.

Absvrdist’s sound is unique and refreshing, and this debut album certainly garners some significant attention. Illusory doesn’t leave much to be desired but it does leave room for the band to expand, grow, and better define their sound with future releases. I would call this a must-listen for any fan of Anaal Nathrakh, Rotten Sound, and even early Misery Index.