Wednesday, May 2, 2018

LP Review: "Absence of Light" by Dying Awkward Angel

Absence of Light
As an American, I often think about what I can do to emulate what other nations have done.

That's the biggest part of our culture. Bringing traditions from our old countries. There's honestly not much in this world that's uniquely American.

Today after listening to Stuff You Missed In History Class, it occurred to me that it's time to learn how to cook some French food.

It is after all, delightful.

Being a native St. Louisan, Italian food is in my blood. My family doesn't go back to that delicious, boot shaped nation, but check out St. Louis's most famous neighborhood, The Hill, and you might find a couple of folks whose families do.

Dying Awkward Angel
As an American who frequently likes to emulate Italians, it would seem that I'm uniquely qualified to review an album of Swedish Extreme Death Metal that was written and performed by Italians.

Absence of Light may very well be inspired by the old Swedish scene, and Dying Awkward Angel may have wanted to recreate that sound and feel, but much like an Italian eating my lasagne, it's no carbon copy.

Let's start off with the vocals, even in the Swedish Death bands, they always sounded a tad reminiscent of the Black Metal guys, but with a bit more, shall we say, focus?

Dying Awkward Angel surely has the focus, but it's less abrasive and more, organic? The European focus is there, but the American expansiveness is as well. It's a nice mix.

As for the guitars, it's rare to say this about a death metal band, or just any metal band really, but they're not overplaying. If anything, they're a little too thin.

Big thundering guitars are never unwelcome right?

It's not as uncommon as it once was, but it still feels a bit strange and rare when an extreme metal band plays songs that have melody, rhythm, and extreme brutality. Those palm muted riffs will grab your skull and bob your head up and down for you.

Absence of Light is inescapable.

Release 5/25/18
Genre: Death Metal
Label: Extreme Metal Music
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