Retro-Review: Aborted – The Necrotic Manifesto

Welcome to Retro-Reviews, a space where I indulge in my own nostalgic reveries, reminiscing about a time that never truly existed, but one that I’ve crafted through various random albums that hold significance for me. Whether good or bad, one thing is certain: remembering can be a bittersweet journey.

In 2014, while Russia annexed Crimea, ISIS reached the peak of its power, there was an Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and MH370 disappeared… Oh, right, the metal! It was a fine year with remarkable releases from Behemoth, Fallujah, Origin, and Ne Obliviscaris, just to name a few. It was, of course, a better time.

After mentioning all those classics, you might wonder why I’ve chosen this specific Aborted album. Why not Goremaggeddon? Two reasons: The Necrotic Manifesto just turned 10 years old (the other albums are technically still 9), so in some places, it’ll soon be old enough to purchase a semiautomatic rifle, and it’s the first Aborted album I ever listened to. I’d even dare to say it was the first Deathgrind album I paid attention to. However, we’re also here to ask the question: does it hold up after all these years?

If you’ve been keeping track of Aborted lately, there’s not much to say. The band is like a shark: there have been next to no changes in its build after aeons. Manifesto is no exception; it’s another meat grinder to throw yourself into. I wouldn’t say it’s innovative in any way, but it certainly drills a hole in your head. It was the point where Aborted found what worked and decided to stick with it forever.

This review could have been about any Aborted album. It’s ferocious and unrelenting; it’s a horror movie that splatters intestines all over the place; it’s a band being consistent to no avail. While most Grindcore has become monotonous pig sounds and burping, Aborted has managed to change enough to stay relevant, but remained the same enough to keep geriatric fans happy. The album can still adapt to more modern…sensibilities (being sensitive and liking Manifesto is like loving cage-fighting and donating to animal shelters at the same time). Manifesto could come out tomorrow and still crush your feelings more than your ex.

That doesn’t mean it’s a masterpiece. It’s a competent effort from a band that had reached maturity. It’s way more traditional than other great releases from that year like Behemoth‘s The Satanist or Origin‘s Omnipresent, which have aged well, but clearly tried to break away from conventions. However, maybe you don’t want something too risky. You want something from a simpler time in your life, when you didn’t have to pay taxes and so on. You want that comfy familiar place full of brutality. If that’s the case, then I’d say Manifesto is still that album where things can make sense to your decaying brain.

Alright, I’m aware of how quiet comment sections in metal blogs are, so let’s stir things up: drop the name of an album you like. It has to be at least 10 years old and somewhat memorable. Do that, and I’ll review it.

Label: Century Media

Release date: April 29, 2014

Site: https://centurymedia.bandcamp.com/album/the-necrotic-manifesto-bonus-tracks-edition

Country: Belgium

Score: It’s still OK!