Stargazer Scholar
I like it when bands take their time between records. Longer breaks leave the audience with a fair chance of truly understanding the artist’s vision, while the artists themselves are given plenty of time to evolve and produce their finest work without having to rush it. OK, I know that this view is somewhat idyllic, as it ignores label pressure and other natural constraints, but lo and behold, here’s our case in point. The trajectory of Abigail Williams is exemplary in that regard. As the gaps between the band’s output seem to grow, the music itself is becoming increasingly mature and compelling. We had six years at our disposal to imbibe, dissect and revisit the gripping Walk beyond the Dark, and now here we are with A Void Within Existence, the cover art shocking with its gloomy detachment, the title oozing pain, and the music… Well. let’s explore.
These six years were rough for everybody. The isolation months of the pandemic left profound scars on many a psyche and their echoes keep resounding in modern art. A Void is one of those isolation-spawned musings. The albums is a journey to self-discovery through loss, loneliness, anxiety and disillusionment. ‘I realize today that nothing in the world is more distasteful to a man than to take the path that leads to himself’, says Hesse’s protagonist in ‘Demian’, and Sorceron and his crew are ready to brave this road, even if there’s nothing but a howling void to be discovered at its end.
To call the album Black Metal would be simultaneously accurate and perfunctory. While checking all the eerie, tremolo-infused boxes that usually pertain to the genre, this music doesn’t constrain itself to imaginary boundaries and boldly explores Post and Progressive sounds. The Vale Of Pnath credentials of the current line-up make themselves known from the start, manifesting in a tighter, almost technical approach to instrumentation. This elaborate pattern only serves to reinforce the bleak atmosphere of the whole affair, and the result is nothing short of spellbinding. It is epic yet personal, harsh yet well played; it is urgent and relevant, yet timeless and otherworldly.
The songwriting makes clever use of the band’s technical proficiency by arranging the individual songs into a dynamic flow. The first half of the record is tinged with uneasiness and dissonance, yet somehow succeeds in combining the sensation of a mounting panic attack with high-energy riffage and soloing. Some songs deserve an especial mention, like the brilliant ‘Nonexistence’, which fluctuates between blast-beat eruptions and pensive, brooding passages. We are lured into a false impression of peace as the aggressive outbursts gradually subside and shorten, resolving in a brief bluesy solo that brings a welcome respite. But this peace is short-lived, as the song immediately segues into ‘Still Nights’, which is a deceptively straightforward outburst of condensed blackened energy reminiscent of the later-era 1349.
This juxtaposition of nocturnal stillness and inner turmoil seems to be a recurring theme within the record, and each song brings a new aspect of this into the moonlit spotlight. As the album progresses and the tracks get longer and increasingly textured, the protagonist’s suffering assumes a dignified aspect until achieves resolution in the beautiful closer, dominated by clean vocals. Another highlight is the penultimate ‘Embrace the Chasm’ that staggered me with its evocative symphonic arrangements and downright virtuoso drum-work.
It’s amazing how seamlessly the record progresses from anxiety to catharsis, how effectively it moves from dissonant solos threatening to fall apart at any moment to the stunning harmonies ending the penultimate track. Finally, unable to tell peace from exhaustion, we subside into a troubled reverie. A new day awaits, and with it a new fight. And may none of us have to face it alone.
Label: Agonia Records
Release date: 18 July 2025
Website: https://www.facebook.com/AbigailWilliamsBand
Country: USA
Score: 4.5/5.0 (A harrowing triumph of modern Extreme Metal)
Metal Eclipse Reviews 
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