It’s no surprise anymore to see just how far bands are able to take the very concept of heaviness. For all that can be accomplished within such a vast breadth of possibilities, there’s still so much to be said. As is the case with any sound, you need to have a passionate drive, intense nature, and imaginative creativity in order to bring about a creation of such that can really stand out especially in the current climate of heaviness that we find ourselves blessed with. There’s something for everybody if you’re looking in the right places. Yet, sometimes, there’s something that captures your attention from out of nowhere and leaves you floored in body and spirit. In no small form, that’s precisely what’s been accomplished throughout the entirety of Abraham’s fifth album.

You know those bands that you’ve always heard about, always intended to investigate, yet never did for one reason or another? My list is tragically long, and it was until tonight that Abraham was just one name amongst many. The band’s reputation precedes their aural power with their presence, flavor, and ingenuity something that has become known far and wide for all the right reasons with their brand of post-sludge metal something that always sounded right up my alley. It wasn’t until tonight with my fortuitous discovery of “Idsungwüssä” that I now realize the depths of my mistake in not seeking this band out sooner. Across the absolute entirety of these eight gorgeously expansive tracks, Abraham never once pulls a single punch. Even when you find yourself floating aimlessly and naked through the space between realities that tear each other apart, there is awesome power and tremendous nuance in practically every step that Abraham takes.

Right from the very beginning, “Idsungwüssä” makes itself known as a dense creation that would see the cosmos itself flow from Abraham’s palms. Crushing in its oppressive weight and might but singularly euphoria for its vast atmospheres and scale that grab you by the throat, hurl you into an interdimensional whirlpool from which there is no escape, and open your eyes to experiences that drive you mad, yet it’s within that madness salvation lies in exquisite writhing. While they pummel you out of this singular plane of existence, it’s in the next that Abraham guides us through uncompassionate truth through antediluvian methods to ensure that you are profoundly changed on every level. Extremely few are able to accomplish that. It’s throughout the whole of “Idsungwüssä” that Abraham does it in staggering fashion.

“Idsungwüssä” is many things! Deep, primally intense, and extremely well-crafted. Above all else, however, this is a work that’s focused. Precisely where that focus is pinpointed I know not, but I know in my very soul that Abraham achieves whatever goal it had during the crafting of this experience with the massive effort speaking for itself time and again. We’ve seen loads of names thrown around as end-year contenders for exceptional excellence, and I fully believe it’s here with “Idsungwüssä” that Abraham has more than earned itself a place in that conversation.

LISTEN to “Idsungwüssä” on Bandcamp here.

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