With the announcement and (kind of) preview of a new Abigor album, I’ve been pretty excited and Abigor has been the topic of conversation recently, particularly their older, seminal works. Even more particular, how this band is so woefully under appreciated and should most likely be hailed as one of the greats of black metal. I think there’s a good argument here for Abigor to not just be considered among the greats but near the top of that list. So guess who was fucking surprised to find out that I hadn’t in fact heard their very first album? This guy right here. I guess I spent too much time addicted to Nachthymnen (From the Twilight Kingdom), Opus IV, and Channeling the Quintessence of Satan (though I don’t think you can go wrong with any album or EP from that era) to realize I totally fucking skipped that one. Today I intend to correct that.

Abigor is a very intimidating band to write about as I find their music very vast and complex. Though it may sound like raw black metal there’s so much going on here compositionally, musically, instrumentally, that it’s mind boggling. Of course the more melodic and furious riffs stand out but they’re crafting songs in such a crazy. Where a song starts is not where it ends and the path it takes to get there is full of twists and turns, rarely repeating themselves. It sounds like a jumbled collection of notes and riffs, but it never sounds disjointed in a clumsy way. It’s perfectly organized chaos, something the band explores and hones to great (and lesser) degrees throughout their career, both musically and conceptually.

Vocalist Silenius is such a presence on this album (and every Abigor album he’s on) it’s hard notice all the music going on around him but they keep him naturally in the mix and not to far down or to high over everything. His vocals are impressive but Abigor knows it’s music works best when everything is clinging together. It’s said that he’s returning for the new album and if that’s true, this has some serious potential behind it.

The band kicked out some classics after this then there was some drama and experimentation I won’t go into before a massively impress album in 2015, but those early albums (and EPs) are where it’s at with this band.

I’m fucking enthralled with Abigor. They’re such a unique presence in the black metal wilderness and listening to them is like a master class in black metal. If you aren’t up on Abigor, fucking get there.