This is the debut album from US black metallers Abhoria.
So, here we have a 42-minute black metal release that claims inspiration from Immortal, Dark Funeral and Emperor. How could I resist sampling its dark delights?
Abhoria present their second wave-influenced assault with a modern sound that is heavy and sharp. The band clearly know how to write black metal, and many of the riffs and the general feel of the music take me back to the 90s quite forcibly.
The band’s songs are brutal and aggressive, frequently using fast speed to abuse the listener with pummelling ferocity. Mixed in with this are more restrained parts that find the band’s inherent savagery held back in favour of a more sophisticated attack via cutting riffs and scything rhythms. Melody is used in places, and the album benefits from a suitably bleak atmosphere overall.
The vocals have a variety I wasn’t expecting, ranging from blackened screams to deeper roars, semi-cleans, cleans, and growls. These vocals are convincing and well-performed, and they serve the music well.
Abhoria is a solid album from a band who know what they’re doing with the genre. If you’re a fan of the classic style packaged in a modern way, then Abhoria is a good choice.
Wonderbox Metal 
2 thoughts on “Abhoria – Abhoria (Review)”