itSELF – The Absence
Release Date: 26th May 2023
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Symphonic Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal.
FFO: Septicflesh, Ex Deo, Inferi
Review By: Andy Spoon
Brazilian Melodic/Symphonic death metal outfit itSELF is set to release its newest album since 2009 on May 26th, 2023. Featuring a mix of new members and guest appearances by metal elite such as Terrance Hobbs, The Absence is a dynamic and engaging album that is engaging, full of grin-inducing moments, and satisfying in its totality. The band claims it’s a “supergroup”, incorporating present and former members of Sinister, Obscura, Psycroptic, and The Monolith Death Cult. The Absence promises to tickle the fancy of almost all death metal fans, having creative moments that transcend all fandoms in the genre with its engaging symphonic composition and delivery.
Right off the bat, I was treated to some interesting symphonic moments that brought up not-so-good memories of symphonic metal. Immediately, I thought I was going to have to endure the cheeseball synth strings of Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir (no hate). I prepared for a cringe-fest, but was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the symphonic sections. They don’t merely fall into the whole-note-only category. Instead, it’s very well-thought-out and executed in my opinion. The best example of some of the additions were on track 2, Schadenfreude, where the high piccolo trills perfectly emphasize the off beats from the guitars. It felt like watching an old James Bond movie.
The vocal sections are excellent, coming in stereo, as both vocalists offer back-and-forth dynamics on several tracks. Vocally, I was impressed with the prowess and power of the vocal section. I was never unhappy with the harsh vocals at any point, which is saying something. One of my hiccups was that in some parts, the songs bring on female clean vocals, over which I have some mixed feelings. However, it was not pervasive enough across the album that I spent much time thinking about it. In fact, it only remained as something that I thought wasn’t great, but didn’t have any actual problem with.
Lyrically, the album boasts a mix of self-indulgence, angst for the consumerist, capitalist society of the west, and genuinely funny moments that don’t really seem like “death metal”, which is why they made me smile. Track 4, Tomorrow, is literally about putting off work that’s waiting, trying to justify doing it tomorrow. I enjoyed the social commentary of the consumerist and shallow culture. There are also several funny moments along the album’s runtime where listeners are treated to funny sound clips and effects. It juxtaposes the seriousness and epic wave of the sound with the not-so-serious moments added by the songwriters.
Guitars are awesome, including some guest appearances by Terrance Hobbs, a veritable god of death metal. I never tired of the wailing leads and high-note rhythm moments that perfectly went with the symphonic parts. I was generally very impressed with the composition and the execution of the string sections and guitars blending together. There are also choral parts which sound good in the right setting. I think that I was patiently waiting for the synth instruments to get cheesy, but they never did, something that greatly impressed me after the album was over, almost making me want to listen closer to see if I could discern how “fake” they sounded.
Overall, I really enjoyed The Absence for its dynamics, lighthearted juxtaposition, and excellent composition/engineering. I think that if you’re a fan of death metal in any form, this ought to be an album that you check out. I think that my favorite songs on the whole album are Voices of the Unheard and Schadenfreude, the opening tracks of the album. If you’re looking for a good way to get pumped up and enjoy an hour of your life, you ought to spin itSELF’s The Absence.
(4 / 5)
