If your only point of reference to Japanese black metal is Sigh, you are in for a treat/shock/surprise/let down, when you cop a listen to ‘The Final Damnation’, the sixth album from Abigail.
They’ve been going for absolutely bloody ages (…no, me neither), and they clearly like things very raw, and very, very sleazy.
Thrashing away like a demented Bathory/Metallica hybrid, ‘The Final Damnation’ is either an un-paralleled joy to listen to, or purely 38 minutes of worthless insanity.
The usual black metal vibe is coked-up to party mode, with booze and sluts high on the agenda, and playing in tune merely optional.
…If all your metal records blew-up at the same time, it would probably sound something like this…
Obviously, there is much fun to be had with the frenetic pace and songs such as ‘Whisky, Coke and Bitch’, ‘Sex & Metal’ and ‘Sweet Baby Metal Sluts’ (…You’ll recognize the songs…they’re the bits that break-up the guitar solos…), but the overall effect may leave you feeling used and abused, but ultimately unsatisfied.
A shame really, as ‘The Final Damnation’ has a fair bit of musical muscle, but is let down by it’s own vulgar silliness. A bit like seeing a Carpathian Forest gig. Moments of splendour and effective metal being offset by having to catch a glimpse of Nattefrost’s knob every five minutes.
Sure, the aforementioned ‘Sex & Metal’ and ‘No Pain! No Limit!’ are gloriously ridiculous, but when you consider the rampaging riffs of the opening track and the awesomely sombre mid-section from ‘Holocaust By Evil’, you kinda wish that the album was less madcap and schizophrenic. But, having said that, this may also be your “go to” choice of ear-assault before you hit the pubs.
‘The Final Damnation’ is as dumb and stupid, as it is great. Abigail don’t do tortured introspection, life is too short.
You’ll either have a total blast with this record, or utterly despise it.
…As for me…Well…
(5/10 Stuart Carroll)
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