Record Reviews

Album review: Aborted “ManiaCult”

Extreme metal band Aborted’s new album continues an excellent and sinister musical journey deep into the abyss.

Aborted has for quite a few years now been one of my favourite extreme metal bands. It is something about this Belgian band’s sinister relentlessness. They don’t accept any compromises. They just do their thing no matter what. The new album, “ManiaCult”, continues with the by-now well-established Aborted signature sound but I detect some slight amendments to the soundscape. There is a tad bit more variety (such as the haunting piano-based instrumental track “Verbolgen”) and some new influences woven into the normal pure mayhem and madness. Believe it or not, but there is catchiness in some of the songs. Aborted may be a loud, fast and brutal band. But this is not random noise, it is organised chaos. There is structure to the madness and some find guitar melodies and terrific riffs. Standout tracks on this album include “Drag Me to Hell”, “Grotesque” and the epic “I Prediletti: The Folly of the Gods”. The title track “ManiaCult” is an obvious highlight in all its skull-crushing tech death glory. If you’re listening to this album correctly, you’ll need a shower and a cold beer once you’re finished. Aborted’s done it again. Sven de Caluwé founded this grind/death metal band some 26 years ago and the vocalist is still commanding his horde from the front. In the current line-up, Sven is joined by drummer Ken Bedene, guitarist Ian Jekelis and bassist Stefano Franceschini. It is a great version of the band. This album is brutal and mad awesomeness.

Aborted’s new album “ManiaCult” will be released on 10th September via Century Media Records.

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