ABIOTIC — Symbiosis (review)

Album · 2012 · Deathcore

2.5/5 · 2013-02-27
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Symbiosis is the debut full-length album to be released by US death metal act Abiotic. The album was released in 2012 through Metal Blade Records following the 2011 independent EP A Universal Plague. All of the songs from the prior release, which was quite substantial for an EP, also appear here. The album features a guest appearance by Wretched guitarist John Vail, who plays a solo on Hegira.

Symbiosis is one of those difficult albums for me in that it contains some elements I want to do nothing but praise, but also some which I feel harm the overall listening experience, as well as some elements that I could take or leave with a band like Abiotic. I’m going to start with the positive side of things, which is the band’s musicianship, which is stunning across the whole album. Symbiosis features a primarily technical death metal based sound musically, with many moments which push closer to progressive death metal territory. They’re not afraid to throw in the odd clean tone section within the music as little breaks in their otherwise intense onslaught. Additionally there is a regular use of deathcore styled breakdowns, which is the element I could take or leave. I’m not exactly a fan of the style but I don’t mind its influence creeping into albums even in such a majorly way on Symbiosis so long as its tasteful and not out of place, which Symbiosis succeeds at on both counts. I especially like the way the bass can play a prominent role within the sound. It’s clear to me after just my first spin of the album that Abiotic are talented, well-playing musicians.

That’s the good side of the album. Unfortunately it has its bad side. Mostly it is the vocalist Ray Jimenez. His is a varied growl ranging from high to low screams as well as pig squeals but there’s just something about his performance here that spoils the whole album for me. His growl no matter how he delivers it is one of those that is incomprehensible from start to finish and while the aggressive in your face approach may work for some listeners, I find it to be distracting me from the praiseworthy features that Symbiosis has in aplenty. There’s hell of a lot going on in the music here so while I do still want vocals in a band like this I want them to complement what is going on behind them, and I can’t honestly say I think that’s happening here, not even in a single song on the album. I can’t help feeling at the end of the day that despite Abiotic’s obvious skill Symbiosis as an album lacks the substance that will make me go back to it once I’m done with this review.

The production work on the album is the second, lesser, issue at hand. While not totally raw sounding I wouldn’t call it exactly polished either and while that sort of sound may work for a much less technical/progressive act, I find it only adds to the hindrance of my enjoyment that the vocals started. I want to hear what’s going on in the album and I just have this feeling throughout that the band did everything in their power to make the listener focus on the vocals. It’s a bad move in my view, since with someone perhaps a little more restrained up front Symbiosis could have ended up one of the death metal highlights of 2012.

I’m still left feeling mostly positive about Abiotic’s debut, but do feel that the band has a lot of work to do to get up there with the best of the best. Because the band’s musicianship is so high I’m happy to award with a lower end positive rating, but ultimately I was disappointed with this one.

64/100

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven (http://metaltube.freeforums.org/abiotic-symbiosis-t2799.html))