With their third album “With No Human Intervention” the Italian Avantgarde Black Metal freaks of Aborym rose again from the deepest abyss of human psychological nightmare to show the world once more what misanthropic metal art is all about. After the quite interesting, but heavily underestimated “Kali-Yuga Bizarre” and the follower “Fire Walk With Us”, this album represents their peak.
After a short introduction the chaos of alien musical dimensions hits the clueless listener. From the beginning the title track shows what the art of Aborym is all about: Fast, disruptive (digital) drums, epic guitar chords, lightspeed solos and ecstatically dancing synthesisers, which are drawing never heard collages of sound. The general atmosphere created by the dominating electronic ingredients is very unfriendly, cold and confusing, but coeval the music has an appealing effect. One reason might be Attila Csihar, who once again proved on this longplayer, that he can be considered as one of the most unique and extreme vocalist in the metal scene. Unlike on “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” or “Fire Walk With Us”, the Hungarian drug addict abandoned his trademarks and, in a sense, sounds less shamanic. Instead we can experience high pitched Black Metal screams, which can only be described as matchless and supernatural. It is very refreshing to hear Csihar experimenting with his pervert voice.
The songwriting first appears quite progressive, abstruse and cryptic. But after some time, when the Homo Sapiens got used to the celestial way of communicating, the tracks develop a logic structure, with which Aborym manage to switch masterly between the uttermost different human emotions and states of mind. Regardless if we get attacked by modern, industrial-rock influenced stakkato riffing, if we are terrorised by digital warfare of the strangest Techno/EBM and Industrial sounds or if Nysrok demonstrates his musical skills with his breathtaking guitar-solos: The sound cosmos of these Italian guys is always in a crossfire of different influences. Even Black`n Roll is cited (“The Alienation of a Blackened Soul”). The music is mostly connected to the old spirit of Black Metal, which was invented on Norwegian classics like the mentioned “De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas” and “Antichrist”.
Talking about the production, which took place in Temple of Noise Studio in Rome, I must say that I first had problems getting used to it. Especially the drumcomputer might discourage the blimpish Black Metal fan. But in the end the sound fits in very well the overall inhuman feeling of the music. I must add, that “With No Human Intervention” although features some nice and emotional moving parts. But every time these excursions to the brighter side of life appear, they get undermined by one of Csihar’s choleric scream attacks.
The lyrics are also quite opaque. It is nearly impossible to find a clear structure, an overall message. Of course you will find the typical antichristian propaganda. With “Faustian Spirit Of The Earth” (which was written by Bård “Faust” Eithun) the band tries to offer a more religious and philosophical approach towards life and humanity. “Me(n)tal Striken Terror Action 2” deals with the 9.11 terror attacks, which is quite unusual for this type of music.
After all praise I have to state that “With No Human Intervention” has also two defects: First, the booklet doesn’t fit the high standard of the music. The obligatory number of the beast in the logo as well as the pictures of naked nuns going nude with the crucifix between their legs really doesn’t impress anyone anymore. It seems like Aborym, by now grown-up men, still have a hard time to get rid of the old-fashioned and boring clichés.
The second defect for me is the obvious need of Aborym to adorn with “big names”. Several times we can read in the booklet about the co-operation with Faust, Nattefrost (Capathian Forest) and Irrumator (Anaal Nathrakh). Sure this underlines the integrity and credibility of this band within the extreme metal scene, but Aborym really don’t need this type of self-adulation.
To come to a conclusion: Aborym have found their own interpretation to celebrate a style of music which was important and inspiring for a whole generation of angry musicians. Most of them failed to offer something new, refreshing. However, for me Aborym is the only band which successfully managed to combine styles like Techno, Electronic Body Music and Industrial with Extreme Black Metal. A vanguard approach which can’t be honoured enough. At least I tried it.
-Polygon
VITALS:
Release: 20. January 2003
Label: Code666
Avantgenre: Alienated Black Metal Fiction
Duration: 64:49
Origin: Italy
Official site: http://www.myspace.com/aborym666
Review online since: 26.10.2007 / 21:31:37
| TRACKLIST:
01 – Antichristian Codec |
Leave a Reply