Abysmal Dawn – Leveling The Plane of Existence

site | label | buy

I feel like Abysmal Dawn has been very unlucky when it came to gaining popularity. Bands like Psycroptic and Neuraxis play a similar style of metal, but Abysmal Dawn does it so much better. Their latest album Levelling The Plane Of Existence continues the excellent death/thrash sound they’ve had on their first two releases. While there won’t be any surprises, the album is crammed full of mid-paced death metal that don’t sound out of place alongside their California brethren. A less technical but more stable Decrepit Birth; a smidgen of The Faceless without becoming a parody. That’s what makes Abysmal Dawn so good. Rapture Renowned has just enough Slayer-worship and takes just a bit from the West Coast’s huge metal/deathcore scene to give the song a freshness that many other death metal bands are severely lacking in without resorting to completely altering their sound. Strewn about the album, like in the songs In Service Of Time and Levelling The Plane Of Existence, is definitely a Nile-esque feel to the songs. Really heavy, but still really melodic at the same time. What really helps this album stand out is the production, which is a surprise because Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal, ex-Morbid Angel) is the producer and usually doesn’t do a very good job. Maybe he’s turned over a new leaf? In the end, Abysmal Dawn’s latest album is for anyone who’s a fan of death metal, be it from The Black Dahlia Murder, Krisiun, At The Gates, Cannibal Corpse, or Decrepit Birth. Don’t expect anything too flashy, but expect to bang your head.

Written by Jackson May
More: 2011, Albums, Death Metal, Quick.Play Reviews, Abysmal Dawn