ABYSMAL DAWN — Leveling the Plane of Existence (review)

ABYSMAL DAWN — Leveling the Plane of Existence album cover Album · 2011 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
J-Man
If technical death metal (minus the metalcore influence that seems to dominate the scene nowadays) is your thing, you may have taken notice to Abysmal Dawn's 2008 effort for Relapse Records, Programmed to Consume. Fast-forward three years, and Abysmal Dawn has out their second album for Relapse (third album total) in the form of Leveling the Plane of Existence. This killer blend of old school U.S. death metal and modern technical death metal is one that should please Abysmal Dawn fans and newcomers alike. Leveling the Plane of Existence contains breathtaking musicianship, engaging compositions, and plenty of moments worth headbanging to - there's not much more I can ask for from a technical death metal album!

The music on Leveling the Plane of Existence is modern American death metal, but with ample doses of technicality and occasionally progressive tendencies. This is an album characterized by blinding leads, deep guttural growls, relentless drum patterns, and heavy guitar riffs - this isn't for the faint of heart! The musicianship is excellent across the board; Abysmal Dawn is a band that consists only of top-notch virtuosos. The amount of noise that this trio can make with only 3 people is truly admirable! Leveling the Plane of Existence clocks in at just under 40 minutes, which is a pretty great length for a technical death metal record. Not all tracks are extremely memorable ("In Service of Time" is the benchmark masterpiece here), but the short running length prevents this from becoming a large issue. The production is sleek, modern, and technically pleasing.

Abysmal Dawn really took me by surprise with their third album - I've sincerely had a great time listening to Leveling the Plane of Existence. It's not too common to hear a technical death metal album with this much power nowadays! This may not be the most original album on the planet, but it's difficult to argue with quality like this. This is a 3.5 star release from me, but it's damn close to a 4. Fans of technical death metal contemporaries in the vein of Obscura are advised to give this one a spin!
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