Absu’s second album is superior to its first one in every aspect. Here the band has evolved and created a sound of its own. This album is a landmark record in the Black/Thrash genre. While the genre they started with was already ambitious enough if you consider the fact that they are from the United States, and not Norway, it just wasn’t that new for the overall global metal scene. Also, the production wasn’t right.

Now I’m not saying that the first album was terrible, but the fact is that it doesn’t hold candlelight in front of this mighty release.

A lot of credit for this impregnable offering should go to the drummer. He is not human. He can add breath taking fills and rolls within a flash. You won’t see them coming, you won’t know when they came, and your ears won’t believe what they just heard. He’s doing things so effortlessly it almost looks like he’s bored and therefore does a little thing of his own whenever he “gets the time”. Speed merely being the focus of black metal, it does not allow the drummer to experiment much. Who knows how many great drummers are hidden behind the curtain? Well, I can tell you this guy definitely isn’t.

Probably in a need to keep up with the drummer, almost all the riffs are tremolo picked. The good thing is that they neither sound bland, nor repetitive. The rhythm guitars perform consistently without pauses or show-offs. The vocals couldn’t be better. Raspy chill shrieks as their very best.

The overall sound and mixing is perfectly balanced. While the musicians are simply going insane the producer is making sure that all instruments count. The medieval atmosphere has been captured perfectly as well. The thrash part of “Black/Thrash” is very much present as can be noticed by the 80s intensity displayed by the musicians.

This record has surpassed most black metal feats achieved by the famous Norwegian bands you started the genre with, and it is as enjoyable and aggressive as their best releases. A thrilling experience is something I can guarantee.