Abstrusa Unde – Introspection (2012)

Being re-released by Apathia Records, today we have Abstrusa Unde and their debut full-length “Introspection”. In this very diverse and entertaining release, the band delivers eight tracks of brilliant Avant-Garde Black Metal with a deranged theatrical vibe to it, similar to Arcturus, Unexpect, and such bands. With ten musicians participating in this release, the listener is in for a truly exciting experience through many different musical landscapes.

Opening with the album’s title track, the band crafts a very sinister atmosphere similar to a mixture of Angizia with The Diablo Swing Orchestra. Immediately invoking the spirits of the masterpiece of Arcturus, “La Masquerade Infernale”, the band delivers the intoxicating “Hamsa Lonri”. This song features enchanting female vocals and intense string instruments. The harsh vocals mix very well with the female singing and with the crazy keyboards, creating a truly haunting experience.

Things continue to escalate in terms of madness with the beautifully chaotic “Al Aklorodan” and its intense riffing and subtle keyboards. The epic “Carrousel” has some Dimmu Borgir-esque moments, but the band’s powerful riffing and interesting composition style make it quite different from your average BM song. The psychedelic instrumental “The Gutter” infuses more energy into the release and nicely changes the pace of things in order to keep the album interesting and fresh.

Our favorite track in this release is the excellent “Hastra Na” and the lush atmospheric opening section following by some signature Abstrusa Madness. The overall flow of this song is quite unique and entertaining. Keeping up the madness onslaught, “Lost For Life” delivers more harsh vocals and very intricate music while keeping the atmosphere quite colorful and dynamic. Culminating this release we have the 15-minute epic “Suune Kvalta”, a track that nicely summarizes most of the styles and influences the band has through this album.

If you like thought-provoking music that features excellent composition and very intricate design, “Introspection” is a release you do not want to miss. Abstrusa Unde clearly has enough firepower to deliver 50 minutes of excellent music and shows great potential for the future, so keep an eye out for this very unique band.

Release: November 19th, 2012

Genre: Avant-garde Black Metal

Country: France