Absu - 'Absu'

It's been nearly eight long years since Absu's last full-length studio CD. There have been a couple of split CDs recently, but 2001's Tara was the Dallas, Texas black metal band's last full-length. Vocalist/drummer Proscriptor has been keeping busy in the meantime adding his talents to a multitude of projects and running his record label, Tarot Productions.

Absu is a welcome return. It's a dark trip through what Proscriptor calls "mythological occult metal." The lyrics explore Sumerian mythology and magic, a change from the Celtic focused lyrics of earlier albums. That could be an influence from his time in Melechesh, and there are some musical influences of that band here as well.

Absu mixes in good old fashioned thrash with their black metal, a combination that's both groovy and ominous. Synths add plenty of atmosphere, usually in a subtle fashion, but not always. "Of The Dead Who Never Rest In Their Tombs Are The Attendance Of Familiar Spirits" includes a '70s psychedelic synthesizer section that immediately grabs your attention because of its contrast to the rest of the song (and album).

"Those Of The Void Will Re-Enter" also has a mellow keyboard based interlude in the middle, but it flows a little more smoothly. "Amy" is another standout with its thrashy minute long intro flowing into a brutal but catchy song.

There are a lot of guest musicians on Absu. Blasphemer (Mayhem, Ava Inferi) contributes a couple of guitar solos; Nornagest (Enthroned), Mindwalker (The Firstborn) and Vorskaath (Zemial) are guest vocalists; and Ashmedi from Melechesh wrote some lyrics. It's a first class black metal album, and Absu will hopefully take a little less time before the next album.

(released February 24, 2009 on Candlelight Records)