ABHORRENCE - Megalahydroalassophobic

Release date September 14/18 (Svart)

Formed in 1989, but put on the back-burner between 1990 and 2011, Finland's Abhorrence have up to now put out an EP, split, compilation and live album. Here the band issue their second EP of old school death. Discarding the ominous, short intro, there are four tracks clocking in at just over twenty minutes.

"Anthem For The Anthropocene" starts things off in mid-tempo headbang, with a catchy chorus that isn't often found in DM. Second track proper, "The Four Billion Year Dream" drags the listener through a slimy riff that brings up memories of early Morbid Angel. The opening to "Hyperobject Beneath The Waves" threatens to pick up the pace, before shifting back and forth between mid and high tempoes. "The End Has Already Happened" follows with some odd sound effects, subtly adding bass rumblings underneath, before settling into a death-march conclusion.

Abhorrence does a good job here in sitting mid-pocket on this EP. Mid-pace focused, but with enough speed to appease the speed freaks (like myself!); heavy enough to get heads banging, but not enough to scare off those who don't frequent the sub-genre frequently. Overall, Megalahydrothalassophobic is a really enjoyable slice of memorable, old school death. Hopefully this sets them up to issue that elusive first full length.

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