Review: Static Abyss – Aborted From Reality
Enemies of reality.
Have you ever wanted to feel like you’re living through the events of the Hellraiser movies? Sitting in a dark room with Static Abyss‘ upcoming second full-length album Aborted From Reality will give you that similar feeling of pleasure and pain. Aborted From Reality has enough death/doom face-melters to keep even the most staunch gatekeepers happy. Really though, what is there to expect?
There is some death metal royalty behind the morbid tones and timbres of this record. The Oakland, California based duo that comprise Static Abyss are also part of legendary death-doom outfit Autopsy. Legendary drummer/vocalist Chris Reifert, and guitarist/bassist Greg Wilkinson have kept themselves very busy between both groups. 2022 saw the release of both Autopsy’s 8th album Morbidity Triumphant (“Maggots in the Mirror” is a banger) and Static Abyss’ debut full-length Labyrinth of Veins. With both of those being commendable and gory efforts in their own right, would exhaustion set in? The answer is a resounding no!
Both members of Static Abyss are veterans of the scene and demonstrate several times throughout the album their knowledge of crafting an immersive and visceral listening experience. Reifert at this point is by all means a legendary drummer, most notably not just in regards to his work with Autopsy but also for famously contributing drums to Death‘s all time classic debut Scream Bloody Gore. His thunderous drumming style and volatile vocals show that he hasn’t lost his footing and is still just as aggressive and agile as ever. Wilkinson’s work extends beyond his bass duties with Autopsy which began back in 2021; he’s been operating with several groups including Brainoil, Deathgrave, and Leather Glove and his skills reflect his journeymen level of experience.
The pair have excellent chemistry together and craft a sound that makes the duo seem like there’re at least 4-5 other members in their ranks. The engineering, mixing and mastering handled by Wilkinson adds a whole other dimension of morbidity that really makes the instrumentals pop and creates a disturbed and unsettling atmosphere.
The majority of the record is a violent assault poised on sending the listener into a bottomless pit of ravaging riffs and blistering vocals. While some of the outlying songs overstay their welcome a bit, that comes with the territory of doom metal. Most of the tracks on Aborted From Reality squarely fit into death and doom, but there are also shades of black and progressive metal sprinkled throughout the release. The standout cuts here are the short but lethal “Dehumanized”, title track “Aborted From Reality” and single “Wormskinned”.
The title track and single kick the record off in grand fashion, really drawing the listener in and not relenting until the admitted low point of the album “Cathedral of Vomit” takes the album in a slightly different direction. The album refocuses with tracks like “Cerebral Ghost”, “Mind Tentacles”, “Horizon of Cremains”, and “Crosses and Coffins”.
All in all, Static Abyss’ Aborted From Reality starts on a high note and ends up in a dark, cold place that made me want more. I’m eagerly anticipating whatever this group does next. If you’re a fan of classic death metal and enjoy atmospheric turmoil then this is a must listen.
Top tracks: “Dehumanized”, “Aborted From Reality”, and “Wormskinned”
4/5 Flaming Toilets ov Hell
Aborted From Reality is out now via Peaceville Records.
