From Oakland returns the oozing & writhing sounds of Static Abyss.
A relatively new project from in 2021 by two staple legends within the death metal scene. Chris Reifert from the OG death-doom outfit Autopsy on drums & vocals, as well as Greg Wilkinson from Autopsy filling guitar & bass duties. Greg recently became the band’s new permanent bass player for the band’s ‘Morbidity Triumphant’ opus.
Since their formation, the band have been hard at work. Releasing their first album “Labyrinth of Veins” in 2022 to rave reviews & gaining quick ground within the underground scene.
Their now follow-up “Aborted From Reality” sees the band continue the creation of some of the most crusty, doomy & disgusting death metal the band have written to date.
Composed of eleven tracks & just shy of forty minutes “Aborted From Reality” is a journey into the absurd, a downward spiral of emotion, chaos & obliteration.
The first few seconds of the opening & title track “Aborted From Reality” it’s no holds barred. Full-paced crusty drum beats blasting from Reifert & Wilkinson are right there too. Leading the fast, spasitc-like punk guitar riff. All climaxing to a slow, heavy doomy section. What Static Abyss does so well & differs from Autopsy is they can take you on more of a journey. A
As the track hits halfway Wilkinson feeds the track this beautiful reverb-soaked single note guitar leads that make the track ethereal but again the band pick up the pace & bring back the punk harsh & fast aggression.
One of the strongest points of this album is how catchy the riffing & drumming is. “Cathedral of Vomit” is just one example of how a great, headbanging riff can help drive the track, keep it focused & memorable. The first half is an expansive void of echoing guitar & great but simple drumming from Reifert, then it picks up the pace in a new & exciting way to keep the listener engaged.
The main part of Static Abyss arsenal is their great ability to go from cavernous, slow & methodic to barbaric & unhinged. But they still keep a solid throughline that keeps the track cohesive & dramatic.
The stand out on the album “Horizon of Cremains” is a nice halfway showcase of the best doom soaked moments of the album. The opening riffs feel like classic Candlemass if they were drowning in a swamp filled with decaying body parts. Really paints a picture, am I right?
Nothing here Static Abyss does on the album feels played out or even gets remotely boring. They managed to take the core ingredients of crust, doom metal & death metal but they blend it all together in the only way they know & create an organic sound from it.
Even by the latter half of the album they keep the dynamic different.
“Dehumanized” is a fast, blink & its over straight up death metal track that leaves you with a pissed & attitude filled taste in your mouth, breaking up the slower tracks with something that might be basic but its a quick solid track.
“Aborted From Reality” is a great follow up to the band’s first album. It might not be a huge leap in direction but they have been able to harness their sound & make it somehow even more putrid & enforced. Due to the big step in production & at Earhammer Studios in Oakland. With engineering, mixing and mastering overseen by Greg himself. His technical ability on this album has surpassed the sound they created in the studio time around. If you love the first album, “Aborted From Reality” will show you how quickly the band have been able to create an even more dark & extensive album!
Joseph Mitchell
Aborted From Reality is out via Peaceville Records on 30th June 2023
Track Listing:
1- Aborted From Reality
2- Wormskinned
3- Cathedral of Vomit
4- Cerebral Ghost
5- Mind Tentacles
6- Poisoned Limbs
7- Horizon of Cremains
8- Crosses and Coffins
9- Unrepentant Mutant Serpent
10- Dehumanized
11- The Static Abyss
The album will be available in multiple formats that include CD, black vinyl, ‘Toxic Green’ Vinyl as well as digitally. Pre-order copies of the record here https://StaticAbyss.lnk.to/AFR