To Further Dreams of Failure is the debut full length album from British one man black metal project Abduction, with two more tracks added to the three present on last year’s demo. It’s a massive and varied sounding release, sounding far away from the lo-fi and simplistic approach the “one man black metal” term might bring to mind. Encapsulating everything that’s great about 21st century black metal it’s a release with some truly evil moments over it’s thirty minute length, and one of the best black metal releases of the year so far.

As mentioned To Further Dreams of Failure has a massive sound, with a clear but caustic production, meaty guitars and hammering drums. It takes from some of the best bands of modern black metal such as Dark Fortress and Antaeus but with a caustic production and excellent layering to the guitars Abduction have a sound that comes across as really original, as well as being varied across the album. After an eerie introduction to the first piece, the excellently titled Self Burial Ceremony really kicks off with furious tremolo guitars, battering blastbeats, cloudy bass completing the murky sound, the melodic sense to the well layered guitars echoing the occult sound of modern Behexen or Inqusition but with a more raw and bestial sound, meaty riffs coming through to give space to headbang. Miser Destructor at a little over three minutes long is the shortest track on the album by far, but still packs a massive punch with chunky riffs similar to that of Dark Fortress, but with a grinding production that reminds of Anaal Nathrakh’s first album at parts, especially in the tracks’ faster sections. The wailing tremolo guitars are layered well, the distorted screams loud in the mix and the blastbeats absolutely hammering in a track that absolutely destroys but still leaves room for melody. The title track changes it up once again with some slower drearier riffs and grim melodies, accentuated by great use of synths. It sounds a little similar to De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas with some chanting used during the track, and the eerie atmosphere prevalent throughout but once again it sounds original with the great guitar layering and pacing, moving into some faster riffs with inhuman screams at the four minute mark.

Usurper in the House of God is the longest track on the album at eight minutes long, and probably the best on the album with it’s grim atmosphere from the caustic production and long slow moving riffs that unravel gradually and malevolently like a coiled snake. There’s some brighter synths and rather beautiful guitar melodies in the middle of the track that are tremendously well executed as they’re over the top of some rather dissonant playing and hugely evil vocals. It’s a truly evil piece of black metal.

To Further Dreams of Failure as mentioned already takes everything that’s good about modern black metal, mixes it with their own unique and varied approach to the genre, with great pacing, layering, production and musicianship and should be on everyone’s year end lists when it comes to black metal. This style of occult and truly evil sounding black metal may be more prevalent on the continent but this is top tier stuff from Abduction right here.

Originally written for swirlsofnoise.com

One-man black metal project from the UK Abduction is back with the third full-length album in just as many years, a very active project to say the least. Created by Phil Illsley (Taken by the Tide, ex- Lordaeron) in what I believe would be 2016 (no real data anywhere that I can find other than that the first demo was released in October 2016) Phil has been quick to craft more and more music. Funny fact for us metal gamers but his old death metal band Lordaeron is indeed named after the Warcraft kingdom and the lyrical theme revolved around Warcraft lore. Abduction is far from that though as here we got black metal of the cosmic kind.

Having had no previous experience with Abduction I jumped with into All Pain As Penance not really knowing what to expect. One thing I was a bit afraid off is the sheer amount of albums he has put out, would that affect the quality or not? What I can tell you is that All Pain As Penance is a fine release, were fans of Mgła, Uada and Behexen will feel right at home (albeit Abdication has a different lyrical theme approach). It’s haunting melodies will trap you in its web just to consume your soul into the vast abyss. I also need to recommend the different parts at play here for a solo project. The vocals are just as raucous as one can expect when it comes to black metal, while the drums and guitar are working so well together you could think it was trance. I always find it astonishing when all this is made from one person, where none of the elements are the weak link and even the production is perfectly mixed. When it all ends in the monumental track that is “The Funeral of Cosmic Mastery” I almost get goosebumps.

I will be honest with you metal gamers. All Pain As Penance almost made me fall of my seat one its first spin, there is so much clicking with me here I have a hard time knowing where to start. I will start by saying Abduction checks every box I usually look for in black metal, a spiritual journey that almost makes me have an outer body experience. I can only imagine hearing this live, experiencing the same kind of transcendence like when Mgła or Uada perform. Production value that just hits the rights spots and memorable songs I will be listening to for a long time coming. I haven’t been able to put this record away since I started listening to it a week ago, that alone speaks for itself. It’s a joy to my ears with only the likes of previously mentioned Uada and Mgła (can they please release something new soon!?) can beat and Abduction has now found a new fan.

Originally written for The Metal Gamer