CD Review: Aborted - Global Flatline

Written by Colin McNamara Thursday, 09 February 2012 13:03

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Artist: Aborted
Title: Global Flatline
Genre: Death Metal/ Deathcore
Release Date: 20th January 2012
Label: Century Media Records

Album Review

For the past few years it felt like Belgium’s ABORTED was going a bit downhill. Maybe it was that after their solid, brutal album ‘Goremageddon’ that really put them on the map with Century Media Records, many more albums of almost equal brutality was starting to get a bit old on fan ears. So the band pushed their limits on just how brutal they got, but listeners could hear that in the music, and it just didn’t add up, especially with the last album ‘Strychnine 123’ which seemed a bit rushed considering the one year release gap. Now, four years later, and with a fresh breath of air, it seems ABORTED have finally gotten back on track with new innovation and a fresh sense of brutality. ‘Global Flatline’ incorporates the crushing power of their debut work with a bit of the modern touches of ‘Gore Metal’ and a bit more melody to balance out the brutality with beauty. Tracks like ‘Of Scabs and Boils’ are mid paced, even and churning with a mix of higher pitched snarls and the usual guttural growls associated with Death Metal/ Grindcore. It is in the solos where the melody hits- slow, melancholic, and almost like Doom Metal, which adds to the whole horror atmosphere of the zombie apocalypse theme of ‘Global Flatline’. Unlike ‘Strychnine’, this album has multiple settings rather than just over the top or slow interludes, so Death Metal fans can find something to their preference no matter what sub genre they hail from.

The brief recordings that often start at the beginning of the tracks are all horror/ gore inspired, from ranting madmen to screaming women about to be hacked to pieces such as on ‘Fecal Forgery’. Again, listeners may recognize such influences from ‘Goremageddon’, along with some of the lyrical choices which are almost all medical or death related, which has always been ABORTED’s talent. They aren’t included on every track, but add a whole new level of atmosphere to the music. Other experimental moments include the slow, thundering and rhythmic ‘Expurgation Euphoria’, which is probably the slowest track ABORTED has ever done. Opening with piano and just carrying through as it builds upon itself with faded out, but interesting spoken word vocals along with the snarls and bellows, the entire track is monumental and a solid, grabbing piece of Death Metal that is a change from the over the top, brutal kind. A bit slower and repetitive on the Deathcore side, it is still probably the top track here next to ‘Endstille’, which focuses even more of the spoken vocal format with the slow melodies. Between these two tracks though, there seems to be a bit of a void as the next three are just fast, obliterating chuggers that bring back the brutality, but the lack the versatility in between. Still, overall this is probably ABORTED’S best work in five years, and fans will love them for what is delivered on ‘Global Flatline’.


Tracklist

01. Omega Mortis - 00:59
02. Global Flatline - 3:12
03. The Origin of Disease - 3:04
04. Coronary Reconstruction - 4:28
05. Fecal Forgery - 2:45
06. Of Scabs and Boils - 2:53
07. Vermicular, Obscene, Obese - 2:51
08. Expurgation Euphoria - 3:43
09. From a Tepid Whiff - 3:04
10. The Kallinger Theory - 3:43
11. Our Father, Who Art of Feces - 2:43
12. Grime - 3:48
13. Endstille - 6:27


Line-up

Sven "Svencho" de Caluwé- Vocals
JB van de Wal- Bass
Eran Segal- Guitars
Ken Bedene- Drums
Michael Wilson- Guitars


Website

http://www.goremageddon.be/


Cover Picture




Rating

Sound: 9
Music: 9
Total: 9 / 10