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Reviews
Absu: The Sun of Tipareth
04/07/08 || Global Domination
Let’s bring some well deserved recognition to the few decent American black metal acts that know what they’re about. I strain my fucken brain cells quite a bit when forced to think of any other band than Absu that fits this particular description, you know? I guess it could be said I’m rusty on my knowledge of the genre this side of the ocean, but certainly, utterly decomposed horseshit like Xasthur and their like doesn’t count, right?! I said decent at the beginning, so there’s yer disclaimer if you have a gripe.
“The Sun of Tipareth” was Absu’s second full-length, and a surprisingly mature piece of work by all means. After their interesting yet rough around the edges debut, “Barathrum VITRIOL”, the band evolved considerably, refining their songwriting craft to a much more coherent state. Trimmed down from 5 members to their best and classic line-up, consisting of just Shaftiel, Equitant and Proscriptor, a meaner and more focused Absu stirred up some excellent black metal madness with this release. Their self-proclaimed “mythological occult metal” started to take a more definite shape, drawing folkish, melodic nuances from their Celtic/Sumerian esoteric influences, and mixing them up with some good ol’ blackened thrash to a satisfying effect.
Occultism and other such pretentiousness aside, Absu’s formula is rather simple when duly analyzed: supercharged speedy riffing from Sahftiel and Equitant more often than not, with a penchant for the epic, majestic overtones when going onto slower melodic passages, a very appropriate slab of guitarwork. Proscriptor is a fucken beast on the drums, as always the outstanding performer, kicking not just 7 but probably 49 shades of shit out of his drumkit, injecting so much dynamism into the band’s sound it’s fucken amazing. Add the crushing presence of the bass and some underscoring from the keyboards and synth to provide some ambiance and background to the violence, some viciously snarled vocals from both Shaftiel and Proscriptor, and you’ll get the idea of what Absu is about. The production is not much to write home about though, being a bit on the raw, shrill side of the black metal production values, but it doesn’t detract anything from what Absu tries to achieve, it’s good enough I’d say.
The opener “Apzu” is a great example of how compelling Absu can be: a monster track of some 11+ minutes of well constructed, epic yet aggressive black metal, played the way it should fucken be! The depth and diversity of Absu’s songwriting skills at this early stage of their career can be fully appreciated in the way this song shifts through the gears, spitting great riffs at an alarming rate and marching through multiple paces of the warlike dance set by Proscriptor’s drumwork. Even some female vocals and some ethereal keyboard accentuated passages are thrown in the mix. Worth the price of admission by itself, no fucken doubts about it.
Absu doesn’t let off for the rest of the album, mind you. “Feis Mor Tir Na N’og” picks up right were “Apzu” left, and delivers yet another mindblowing epic, although indulging more in some blasts-infested aggressive meanderings and spiced with distinctive Celtic folk overtones. “Cyntefyn’s Fountain” shows more of their thrashier side, nodding a bit in Bathory and Sodom’s direction, yet sporting a remarkable acoustic finale. “A Quest Into the 77th Novel” (WTF?!…) is quite an exercise in measured savagery, with Proscriptor blasting ferociously until the smart transformation of the song into another huge epic, with more female vocals and very nice keyboard melodies to round it off.
A very cool instrumental follows, “Our Lust For Lunar Plains”, surprisingly good and a fitting prelude to the unleashed violence of “The Coming of War”, a menacing, straightforward blackened old-school thrasher, complete with samples of swordfighting and riding horses’ hooves pounding the ground. The title track closes out the album in devastating style, with Proscriptor going absolutely berserk and pounding the drums into oblivion, while accompanied by some grandiose, destructive riffs that barely keep the pace.
Final words of advice: a must listen. Absu at it’s epic best, only surpassed on their catalog by the mighty “Tara”. I’m dead fucken serious when I say these guys are the best American black metal act ever. Nothing I’ve heard comes close, and I’m open to suggestions, not that I’m Absu-lutely close-minded about this certainty I’m proclaiming to you. So far, the evidence points out Absu is indeed most awesome, and “The Sun of Tipareth” goes quite a fucken long way to prove my point, my dear beavers!
8.5 motherfucken incoming wars out of 10.
- Information
- Released: 1995
- Label: Osmose Productions
- Website: www.absu.us
- Band
- Proscriptor: keyboards, synths, drums, vocals
- Equitant Infernain: guitars, bass
- Shaftiel: guitars, bass, vocals
- Tracklist
- 01. Apzu
- 02. Feis Mor Tir Na N’og (Across the North Sea to Visnech)
- 03. Cyntefyn’s Fountain
- 04. A Quest Into the 77th Novel
- 05. Our Lust for Lunar Plains (Nox Luna Inlustris)
- 06. The Coming of War (Morbid Scream cover)
- 07. The Sun of Tipareth