Absurdity
D:Evolution

(Urban Death Records • 2011)

2011. július 4.

Pontszám

9.8

For some French Absurdity will surely sound familiar, at least when it comes to their name. I had already composed reviews on their two EPs, also I conducted an interview with them & built another section for the stuff of their sampler/backing vocals guy, Ricardo Gomes (a.k.a zNo). This year they have done their full-length at last which was weirdly entitled D:Evolution. Another interesting fact is that the band visited our country last year as to record the album in question, at Supersize Recording Studios with Zoli Bake. If I remember well, they had two gigs around then, alas I didn’t have time to attend those, but this September they’re coming again, so my plans will surely include the event. Urban Death Records were responsible for the release, which practically is Absurdity‘s label, with Erik as their leader. Ludo might be blamed for the design (the prints are fine and the digi-pack format looks incredibly nice, though the themes and schemes that were used have slightly been boring yet). Besides, Season of Mist helps spread the release – not a bad choice… As for the sound, let it be enough that in the beginning I couldn’t easily get used to it; it seemed weird, imbalanced, then after a few listening I came to realise it was because of the dense samplers, may I say it actually is a unique sound.

The band stayed right there where they had finished back in 2009, with their Industreatment EP, however this time it’s been more complex, layered and harsher. True cyber industrial death metal HC and core infections. Among their influences one may find an endless row of names, maybe the most significant would be Fear Factory, Meshuggah, Chimaira, early Misery Loves Co., Mnemic, Sybreed, Arkaea and so on. A massive blend of death metal, based on intensive samplers, frequent film-like noises and soliloquys, dialogues, many electro breaks and rending, sharp riffs. If I had been them, I would have given more room for Ricardo and his heavily digitalised parts in order to strengthen the band’s work, however even this way it’s a hard, rigid and mechanical mass which is laying under the themes. The whole disc feels like a complete work, none of the songs may be underlined, at best those could be which contain more of that aforementioned clean sampler – they sound more interesting… Here and there the music takes a metalcore or deathcore-like turn – as some not-so-typical HC-like choirs and schemes emerge, except the basics, as themes like some Napalm Death or Nasum appear. My only problem really is the aforementioned fact, I would have given more free hand to the sampler guru; and this was my theory when I dealt with the latest Sick-Room album too.

It’s a varied and colourful debut with its metallic monstrosity, full of leds, which will surely grant some pleasant minutes to those fans, tuned to industrial death stuff. I don’t proclaim it’s a hell of an album, it’s not even a masterpiece, nor unique. Though this is a hit and grasping material which is reasonable enough to get lost in… here’s a little appetizer from their conception: