Abhoria – Depths
Release Date: 19th January 2024
Label: Prosthetic Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal, Blackened Death Metal.
FFO: 1914, Ashen Horde, Ulthar, Emperor, Dark Funeral, Immortal, Hath.
Review By: Rick Farley
California’s Abhoria burst onto the black metal scene just shy of two years ago, with their masterpiece self-titled debut album. Bringing ferociousness, atmosphere, and incredible songwriting to the crowded genre. A little touch of the old school, but definitely fitting the Mold of modern black metal, Abhoria’s self-titled album easily stood out amongst their peers as one of the genres best releases of 2022. I was lucky enough to jump on board early and review it. Now with a slightly revamped line-up in new vocalist Ben Pitts (In the Company of Serpents), Abhoria continues the dystopian themes establish previously with a much fuller vision realized from founder Trevor Portz. Conceived and created shortly after the release of their debut. Album number two Depths releasing on Prosthetic Records is not fully a concept album, however there’s a thread that runs between each track unveiling a different extreme scenario or revelatory terror for the surviving inhabitants in a hellish world. What could have easily been a sophomoric slump or just a repeat, Depths feels like a natural continuation with intense melodic flourishes that push the boundaries of the band to new nightmarish soundscapes. Cohesive, dynamic, ferocious, and complex, the songwriting remains top-notch.
The Well whips and thrashes it’s slithery guitars uncontrollably, between menacing dissonance and tremolo picked savagery. The riffs from Trevor Portz and Theo Romeo are as much venomous as they are melodic and airy. Drums from JS steadily pulse in blasts that hammer at the chest violently. The fretless bass of Igor Panasewicz feels rich and well mixed, bringing a boomy low end not typical of black metal. Ben Pitts vocals range from throaty growls to higher pitched shrieks. All of this combined is a potent mix of black metal, blackened death metal and a little doom all concocted into one horrific representation of human suffering.
Lyrically, The Well is about a group of refugees who fled their tattered city, increasingly becoming hopeless as they’ve run out of food and water. They stumbled across a natural water source, believing they have been saved, began drinking voraciously from the source. After a short period of time, people start violently convulsing, realizing the water source is tainted. The one person who did not drink is left to helplessly watch everyone around him die. Themes such as this are spread throughout, creating a dark and terrifying atmosphere, which coincides with the sharp, aggressive music.
Depths was recorded in various locations, and masterfully mixed by Zack Ohren. The record truly sounds fantastic. It has a natural rawness to it that lends well to black metal, just without the terrible production and screechy treble. It’s rich in dynamics, clarity, and warmth. All very uncommon with traditional black, but I assure you this is a nasty, hellish take on the genre’s sound. Abhoria utilizes everything that’s great about the nineties without sounding like a clone, and brings it kicking and screaming into 2024. Complex chord structures, woven into bursts of intensity, is the backdrop while creative leads, varying harshness of vocals and suffocating percussion takes this record to being a compelling listen. It borders blackened death metal at times, but the glory days of the second wave are very much alive in this band. Don’t be a snob, just because the word modern was used. This is a fierce as any old black metal I’ve heard. 
(4.5 / 5)
