Any band that has a connection with The Ocean has got to be of interest and even spark your curiosity. Abraham is a bunch of grizzly post-hardcore and psychedelic nutters that bombard your senses with wave after wave of caustic riffing and bulldozing rhythms. This Swiss band boasts a number of facial haired beasts amongst which are two brothers on guitar and bass who have been knocking around in other bands for over ten years.
The immense sound that emanates from your speakers is devastating and begins with “Coyote Versus Machine” and immediately I scribble down sounds like October File though the progressive elements sit fixedly within Cult Of Luna’s mental template. The sound is heavily textured like The Ocean though the music feels a lot heavier and manic. There’s also a huge influx of Neurosis and even Iron Monkey like density and this is only the first bloody track.
“Saloon Biazrre” has a vocal distortion that threatens your very being if you don’t listen as the music has a hypnotic instrumental feel similar to bands like Pelican or Long Distance Calling. “Astro Zombies” is massively influenced by Cult Of Luna which is no bad thing when it is this original. The use of effects and subtle intricacies and the lack of vocals make it very instrumental like until the gargantuan guitar riff and sound explodes. The shorter but no less interesting “The Statues” is faster and boasts relevant clean vocals. “Hellsinki” has a serene start like The Ocean with a lovely ambient feel and dreamlike start that has a lingering guitar hook that imprints on your mind. The ball busting main riff does exactly that as the subtle inflections on the guitar had me penning Head Of David as an influence if your remember them at all.
The album closes with “Baruch” and some thunderous bass work. The guitar is biting, the vocals are savagely barked and a background slugfest similar again to October File permeates the songs. The songs variation in style and pace is bewildering yet thoroughly captivating. It is fair to say that this album worships Cult Of Luna in all their genius glory and uses that bands techniques to create a sound that is not quite their own but is pretty damn close.
http://www.myspace.comabrahamband
