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With a debut album fresh on the shelves courtesy of Metal Blade and two well-respected
members of the metal community involved in the production, engineering and mixing
processes (namely Erik Rutan and Tom Morris), The Absence are well on their way to
making an impact on the scene. This is melodic death in its quintessential form. The
riffs and leads are as sugary-sweet as those employed by Amott and co. in Arch Enemy,
but hold some of the sorrowful cadence of Amon Amarth or Insomnium. The vocals
have been considered by some as very Lindberg-esque, maybe minus a bit of the famed
At The Gates frontman’s signature shriek. The songs are well-written, if maybe a bit
predictable. The harmonies come in on the especially piercing leads, as you would
expect, nothing here is especially ground-breaking. But throughout The Absence have
managed to add a few touches from the more melodic side of 80s thrash, giving them a
little distance from their Swedish contemporaries. While The Absence will probably
appeal only to fans of melo-death, the fact is, I can’t really picture too many fanatics of
that genre who wouldn’t put this on their Top 10 at the end of the year. This is definitely
worth the money if you’re into the style, and it’s nice to see Metal Blade with a young
metal band that isn’t just another “-core” act.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Intro |
| 2. A Breath Beneath |
| 3. Necropolis |
| 4. From Your Grave |
| 5. Heaven Ablaze |
| 6. Summoning The Darkness |
| 7. Shattered |
| 8. I, Deceiver |
| 9. My Ruin |
| 10. Seven Demons |
: 42.24
| Buy other Absence, The albums |
