On ninth album Retrogore (a reference to the '80s horror films it pays tribute to), Belgian death-grinders Aborted continue the streak they started with 2012's Global Flatline and extended with 2014's The Necrotic Manifesto.
The sheer speed of the thing is something to admire, as the blast beats here blow by the band's previous velocity records. They match speed with finesse that leans toward the "death" side of the death-grind equation, the relative punk simplicity of grindcore diminished in its flurry, but in the record's calmer moments, the atmosphere even flirts with the blacker side of metal.
The album plays out as an Aborted album (and horror film) should, with vocalist Sven de Caluwé's distinctive growls complemented by well-curated guest spots (those by Cattle Decapitation's Travis Ryan and Benighted's Julien Truchan stand out) and sound clips (Re-Animator and House creep in). The overall splattering of Retrogore will satisfy any gorehound's need for auditory blood.
(Century Media)The sheer speed of the thing is something to admire, as the blast beats here blow by the band's previous velocity records. They match speed with finesse that leans toward the "death" side of the death-grind equation, the relative punk simplicity of grindcore diminished in its flurry, but in the record's calmer moments, the atmosphere even flirts with the blacker side of metal.
The album plays out as an Aborted album (and horror film) should, with vocalist Sven de Caluwé's distinctive growls complemented by well-curated guest spots (those by Cattle Decapitation's Travis Ryan and Benighted's Julien Truchan stand out) and sound clips (Re-Animator and House creep in). The overall splattering of Retrogore will satisfy any gorehound's need for auditory blood.