Abigail Williams

In a glutted underworld of black metal, Abigail Williams may be just the band to spark some life and vibrancy back into the wavering genre. The group's second full album, In The Absence of Light, taps into the spirit of the band's chosen style but injects it with intricate touches of classic and thrash metal. Raw, but clear production and a venomous zeal, it is as infectious as it is lethal. �The whole record is pretty bleak and depicts a world completely void of light,� says frontman Sorceron. �And I think it's just a product of the environment we live in and a reflection of the way I see humanity heading.� In some ways, In The Absence of Light is true to the rules of black metal. The vocals are harsh and shrill, sounding like the product of a lacerated larynx. The guitars buzz, rip and roar alongside articulate, rapid licks and blazing solos. And the drums slam and crash like exploding mortar shells, whether battering with blast beats, double-bass rolls or syncopated snare hits. There is just the right amount of haunting keyboard washes, though the keys (all played by Sorceron) take a definitive back seat to those on Abigail Williams' 2008 disc In The Shadow of a Th... more...