Programmed to Consume is the Relapse Records debut for Los Angeles based band Abysmal Dawn, a four-piece that combines old-school styled death metal growls with cutting edge technical song arrangements. Fronted by guitarist Charles Elliott, who conjures up images of Mikael Akerfeldt, Glenn Benton, Dan Swano, and Mr. Corpsegrinder himself with his deep growls, also forms a powerful guitar team with fellow gun-slinger Jamie Boulanger, delivering plenty of massive riffs and shredding solos to tunes like "Compulsory Resurrection", the manic "Grotesque Modern Art" (gotta love that title!), and the churning title track. Plenty of blast beats courtesy of Terry Barajas abound on Programmed to Consume, and the technical bass work is performed by the skilled Mike Cosio. One of the real highlights here is the slower, more textured cut "The Descent", a grinding piece with crushing riffs, complex drum work, and Elliott's tortured growls, not to mention some blazing guitar fills. The band shows their gentle side on the haunting instrumental "Aeon Aomegas", featuring Boulanger's deft acoustic guitar work and some creepy keyboards from Elliott, and the band moves into almost black metal territory on the relentless barnburner "Walk the Path of Fire", a raging number that combines every extreme metal trick in the book and works on all levels.
Abysmal Dawn are certainly a band with a very bright future ahead of them, and it would be great to see them and labelmates Origin get the attention they deserve after releasing two killer releases here in 2008. Technical death metal fans take note, Programmed to Consume is the real deal-check it out!
Track Listing
1. Programmed to Consume 4:21
2. Compulsory Resurrection 4:10
3. Twilight's Fallen 5:29
4. Grotesque Modern Art 3:10
5. A Remission of Life 3:46
6. The Descent 4:17
7. Aeon Aomegas 1:42
8. Cease to Comprehend 4:48
9. Walk the Path of Fire 5:41
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