Abigail - Far East Black Metal Onslaught

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It is hard not to hold a band that dubs itself "The Most Evil Band in Japan" to an unattainable standard. In fact, it's hard to even take it seriously, but if these four songs that seemingly appeared from the void are any consolation, the band has indeed developed a slight (albeit poorly executed) understanding of "evil" over a period spanning over 25 years, first cutting their teeth in 1992 on an EP titled "Descending From the Blackened Sky." Three demos, six full lengths, 29 live albums, and a staggering ~85 EPs, splits and compilations later (all of which contain cringey, stereotypical lyrical themes on violence, misogyny and alcohol consumption) we have four thrashy black metal songs with a taste of death.

"Unholy Bestial Fire" cuts straight to the action with a thrash solo over what sounds like blast beats (shoddy recording quality). Throw in some skank beats and cookie cutter melodies and it's hard to tell where this release is going. "Nuclear Hammer" restores faith in "the Evil Principle" with nearly three minutes of constant blastbeats and tremolo picking. The melody of this particular track is actually starkly similar to the that of the opener, which only adds insult to injury. "We Need Beer and Whisky" does not need much more explanation than a partying rock and roll track that is screamed over in a shrieking fashion. "Black Satan of War" is another clear blend of black metal and rock and roll, the drumming mostly a 2/4 beat and melodic chords galore, ending the four songs with a somehow fitting "UHF" from the vocalist.

This writer wants to be on board with a band with such a steep list of releases but the performance on this one is mediocre at best – solid at times, but overall uninspiring. It would require weeks of listening to determine if this trio is indeed "The Most Evil Band in Japan," but this particular release is not convincing anyone to engage in such an agonizing endeavor.

Songwriting: 5
Originality: 5
Memorability: 4
Production: 6