Abduction is clawing its way up the food chain, ready to become a recognized name in the underground—not just lurking in the depths of the scene. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what makes the band unique since you can feel influences from all areas of Black Metal. However, Existentialismus (what’s with that name? Seriously!) proves that the band at least has the ambition to become the next hot thing in Black Metal. The real question now is: does it have what it takes? Stick with this sinister trip to find out.
Existentialismus is what would happen if you threw Mgła, The Great Old Ones, and Spectral Wound into a blender. It has cosmic horror and nihilism, but presented in a more concise way. And I don’t mean shorter tracks—forget about that. Every song here is an atmospheric journey. I’m referring to the songwriting, which sticks to straightforward ideas that tend to work rather well most of the time. That said, I always appreciate when this style of Black Metal doesn’t beat me into submission with the same riffs to the point of indoctrination.
I’ve mentioned a lot of other bands, and that might make you think Existentialismus runs the risk of being derivative—but that’s not the case. The album leans heavily into atmospheric exploration and massive buildups, to the point where you might not even notice how relentless the blasting is. It’s as if the speed and destruction are so vast that they start to feel slow to the untrained eye—just one example of the mastery Abduction has achieved.
Some of you might find the album’s production choices a bit challenging. The same elements that make Existentialismus interesting can also weigh it down. It’s dense, foggy, and takes time to settle into. Plus, its consistency means that all the tracks blend together. Even though they’re packed with great riffs, I would’ve liked a bit more dynamism. But these are minor criticisms.
Abduction feels like a band that should be shrouded in mystery and controversy. I can vouch for the first part, but I have no idea about the second. What I do know is that if you like your Black Metal pure yet engaging, this album delivers so much with so little. It takes something familiar—something some of us love—and twists it into its own diabolical creation. That’s no easy task, and it makes me wonder: what will this band do next? And when will it finally tour up north? I’ll be waiting.
Label: Candlelight Records
Release date: February 21, 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/abduction616/
Country: UK
Score: A foggy 3.7/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 