| CD REVIEW Abysmal Dawn |
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Band: Abysmal Dawn Los Angeles-based horde Abysmal Dawn was created in 2003 by Charles Elliot (vocals, guitars), formerly also in Rise and Inhuman Visions. The band released two full lengths before, From Ashes (Crash Music, 2006) and Programmed To Consume (their Relapse-debut, 2008), which was the first album with current bass player Mike Cosio (Crushing Skulls, Grave Desecration, Savagery, Excretion, Grotesque). In mean time, two other members left, and Abysmal Dawn’s new drummer is Scott Fuller, known from bands as Skitzo and Sentinel Beast (ex). Leveling The Plane Of Existence goes shamelessly on in the vein of Programmed …, with two differences: 1) this time the production is much, much heavier and more intense, and 2) the Thrash / Grindcore-elements from the early years have now (almost) completely gone to make way for more virtuoso finger work and more darkening details. When it comes to the compositions, having a total running time of thirty nine minutes, you cannot but admit that it does go on in the strong vein of both former albums on several subjects. That’s a good thing, because of the interesting creativity, but from another point of view some might have expected more band’s individuality and less predictability. It creates a double-bind feeling. This material completely lacks of any original approach, but from qualitative position, Abysmal Dawn reach the level of (some of) their comparisons: Suffocation, Morbid Angel, Malevolent Creation, The Black Dahlia Murder, Divine Empire etc. Each title embodies a massive Death-monument with the most extreme rhythm section, the most abyssal grunts, and thundering riffing. The mechanical approach might be comparable to Bolt Thrower’s, yet musically seen, Abysmal Dawn have nothing to do with these Englishmen. Two guests appear on this album: Moyses Kolesne of Krisiun-fame, and Kragen Lum (Heathen, Prototype). 80/100 Ivan Tibos. |