ABSCESS — Tormented (review)

ABSCESS — Tormented album cover Album · 2000 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Tormented" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US death metal act Abscess. The album was released through Listenable Records/Deathvomit Records in May 2000. It´s the successor to "Seminal Vampires and Maggot Men" from 1996 and features one lineup change since the predecessor as bassist Frank Migliore has been replaced by Joe Allen. Abscess recorded the material for the album at Sound Temple Studios, but the master tapes got lost, and they had to record the whole album again at a new studio, which could explain the long time between the release of "Seminal Vampires and Maggot Men (1996)" and "Tormented".

Stylistically the material on "Tormented" continue down the same filthy and raw old school death metal style as the band also played on "Seminal Vampires and Maggot Men (1996)". A minimalistic (often hardcore punk influenced), organic, dark and raw type of death metal featuring horror/gore lyrical themes. Most tracks on the 13 track, 33:49 minutes long album don´t exceed the 3 minutes mark and some are shorter, so it´s very much a to the point type of release. Chris Reifert has always been one of the most vile sounding growlers on the scene, sounding like he is coughing clots of blood while singing his depraved lyrics. His madman vocal style go hand in hand with the organic, raw, and unconventionally structured tracks. The instrumental part of the music is a combination of hardcore/punk influenced death metal riffs and rhythms, morbid sounding lead guitars, and heavy doomy sections (most prevalent on the 6:42 minutes long closing track "Madhouse at the End of the World", which is one of the very few long tracks on the album).

Abscess are an organic playing unit and there is a great almost improvised feeling to the music. The band are skilled musicians but they take great care to deliver the music in a primal raw playing style. "Tormented" features a dark, raw, and brutal sounding production, which suits the material perfectly. To my ears "Tormented" is a step up in quality from "Seminal Vampires and Maggot Men (1996)" (and also a bit more similar to the sound of late original-era Autopsy), and fans of filthy and raw old school death metal should find loads to love here. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.
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