[(Symphonic) Black Metal] Abigail Williams

[D.L.S 11]

Abigail Williams is an American symphonic black metal band, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, but now based in New York City.

The band would suffer constant changes to their line-up. Shortly after an eight-week tour in support of In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns, vocalist Ken Sorceron would become the only original member remaining.

The current members are:

Ken Sorceron – vocals, rhythm guitar

Ken Bedene – drums

Ian Jekelis – lead guitar

They have released 2 albums and 1 mini-album:

Mini-album - Legend (2006)

Album - In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns (2008)

Album - In the Absence of Light (2010)

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I got into them after my brothers band opened for them. He bought their CD (ISTS) and I really took a liking to it. I haven't listened to their latest album, but apparently it is a lot less symphonic. My favorite song would have to be Watchtower Revisited.

[Guest]

Extremely bad band. "Black" Metal, lulz.

This review kinda sums up my feelings about this band:

Cosmic mallcore - 0/100

The fecal matter of an unexplained deity floating aimlessly in an ever so distant side of the universe. Rather pointless it is, disgusting in look, taste, and smell. It simply is waste from Yog-sothoth, Azathoth, or whichever deity you choose. Such is the case with the so-called "black metal" band Abigail Williams. First off, I would like to pronounce that this band is not, in fact, black metal. There is not an ounce of black metal in this band's sound apart from the occassional blast beat and tremelo picked riff. No, this is pure, unadulterated, deathcore.

The band's "gimmick" is their use of keyboards to create a so-called "epic" sound. However, these keyboards are rendered useless as the backing band itself refuses to stick to a single riff long enough for any amount of atmosphere to be built up. Bands like Wolves in the Throne Room, Burzum, and at one time, Emperor, know how to do this to great effect. Abigail Williams, however, just sound terrible when they attempt to do this. Tracks like "Into the Ashes" open with particular emphasis on the keyboards accompanied by cheesy howling winds, which could be taken from any Cradle of Filth song, but are followed by atrocious and absolutly gay excercises in what the band probably perceives to be "black metal". It's nothing more than Emperor worship, however, which you can take however you wish.

However, the Whitechapel worship is still there. Songs like "Empyrean" feature two-step beats (3:45), and songs like "Smoke and Mirrors" are filled with breakdowns (0:18). None of these things are ever present (and nothing even remotly resembling them is present) in black metal, and considering this band is attempting to cement themselves as a legitament black metal group, I don't really have any idea what they were thinking. The usage of breakdowns in metal is just one of the constant things in metal itself that never doesn't ruin a song, and even in a black metal enviroment, which seems to work with everything, they are spat right back up like an insect in your salad. It sounds absolutly terrible sounding, and offensive.

The solos consist of scales being sweeped up and down until the guitarist speeds up the sweeping and then jumps back into the "black metal". The drumming is uneventful, stupid and boring at the very best, and lacks any sort of cohesive element that could keep me interested. Similarly to Despised Icon, am I expected to care how fast this drummer can blast? How quickly he can jump from a fill back into a blast beat and back into a "br00tal" breakdown? If so, than I don't see the attraction at all. Fortunatly, the majority of the album was performed by Trym of Emperor, and while I may despise his work with the band, at least he's better than "Samus". Samus's style consists of the following "blast, blast, blast, blast, blast, blast, two-step, blast, etc.". At least Trym gives off a quasi-black metal atmosphere, but Samus just sounds like some idiot who's only idea of black metal is what Ken Sorceron told him to copy (obviously it was "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk").

Moving on to Sorceron, this guy at least attempts a black metal voice, but he possesses neither the attitude nor the manliness to do so. Of course, he's a great deal better than Dani Filth, Ollie Sykes, or Trevor Strnad, all terrible vocalists who have attempted (and failed) to do what he's doing here. Still, he adds nothing to the music and just comes across as an extremly monotonous and annoying Chihuahua barking endlessly into the night as you stuff your pillow of eternity into your ears in a futile attempt to drown it out. Feeble they are, as these shreiks of pointless and endless torture carry on into the night until you are lulled to sleep by their total monotony. However, Sorceron apparantly also let go a few stubborn turds during the recording process, and in result his voice deepens on some songs, resembling weak growls.

Tracks like "Floods" and "Smoke and Mirrors", mirror the work of Whitechapel, with use of breakdowns, and horrible vocals, while tracks like "Into the Ashes" and "Empyrean" mirror the work of Emperor, with rather campy keyboards, monotonous high screams, and "uber-fast blast beats". There is not a single redeeming factor of this album, even with so much Emperor-worship. It's one hundred percent, unadulterated crap in audio format. The way I am forced to see it, any who like this release have never heard "In the Nightside Eclipse" before. Do not ever listen to this album.

Highlights: None.

A friend of mine also saw them live not too long ago. He's a huger fan of the band, especially their debut. He told me it was the most disappointing experience in his life this far. Everything was wrong with it.

[Shizumi 1]

Sounds like a generic deathcore band in black metal (if you can even say that) disguise to me. No thank you.

[Guest]

And that is exactly what it is.

[D.L.S 11]

A friend of mine also saw them live not too long ago. He's a huger fan of the band, especially their debut. He told me it was the most disappointing experience in his life this far. Everything was wrong with it.

That has to be the biggest exaggeration that I have ever read.

Sounds like a generic deathcore band in black metal (if you can even say that) disguise to me.

Maybe, but I still like them. I don't love them, but I like them.

[anieresus 270]

Never really liked this band ):

I'm not saying they're bad though :/

[Senedjem 510]

They're ok.

[Asakusa 95]

Bring back the Norwegian Black Metal! I want some Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum and Emperor stuff back!! Not this shit!!! Inner Circle FTW (ok, this last was a joke)

[OmegaChaos 1]

I like this band a lot...I miss their sound from Legend EP though.In the Shadow of a Thousand Suns was very good also...but last album is too Tr00 Black Metal for me,but still good.

[Guest]

Bring back the Norwegian Black Metal! I want some Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum and Emperor stuff back!! Not this shit!!! Inner Circle FTW (ok, this last was a joke)

I don't know if the first part of this thread is serious or not, but the norwegian Black Metal scene is bigger and better than ever at the moment. You just gotta look bellow the mainstream stuff that's comming from there. If you can that, you've got plenty of bands to find.

[Radical Dreamer 0]

Most of the american BM Bands are seriously and dangerously boring. Abigail Williams play very typical symphonic BM. They lack originality but at least their compositions are diverse and manage to sound interesting.

Nothing i would listen to more than once, though.

[Guest]

The american scene has been so good for so many years. Plenty of quality BM over there. Lots of them with a extremely unique sound as well, and not just copy cats.

[Vurtox 3]

America does have a bunch of good BM like Woe, The Howling Wind, Dagon, Mord, ect, ect. Abigal Williams are most definitely not in that grouping. They're really bland and boring IMO.

[Radical Dreamer 0]

A unique Sound doesn´t necessarily mean, that it`s good.

Burzum got a unique Sound as well, but it is nothing but an insult for advanced Listeners.

[Guest]

And that does tell me a lot about you. Lulz!

[Asakusa 95]

i like the beginnings of the BM (Venom, Bathory... Mercyful Fate and Celtic Frost does count? correct me if I'm wrong) but i love that classical trashy and darkest sound from the first wave of BM bands from Norway. didn't heard about the new bands from Norway. are they that good, Mono2? can you recommend some for start listening? thanks.

[Guest]

Yes, Venom, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Bathory, Sarcofago and so on were all a part of the first wave. Norway however, were a prt of the second wave with bands such as Darkthrone, Immortal, Burzum and all thos continuing what Bathory had already done on Under the Sign of the Black Mark. That's pretty much were the "trashy, dark sound" started.

I assume you only want norwegian bands, so sure I'll recommend some bands/albums:

Sarath - Siste Indre (2010)

Jammerskrik -Innlemmet i Mørke (2008)

Celestial Bloodshed - Cursed, Scarred and Forever Possessed (2008)

Mørkekunst - Mørkekunst (2004)

Mare - Throne of the Thirteenth Witch (2007)

Black Majesty - Seventh King of Edom (2009)

Kaosritual - Svøpt Morgenrød (2007)

Selvhat - Gjennom Mørket Famlende (2008)

Diabolical Breed - Compendium Infernus (2004)

Dødsengel - Visionary (2009)

Dødsengel - Mirium Occultum (2010)

Burzum - Belus (2010)

Those albums, among others are worth checking out. All of them are quite good. The 8 first is also from Nidaros (or Trondheim, if you will), where the scene is the biggest at the moment. But looking away from Norway, there's a strong Black Metal scene in the whole world. Especially Finland and Sweden have been pretty great the last few years. America and Greece is also good today, just as they were in the 80's and 90's having some of the most important bands for the evolving of Black Metal bands. But France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Ukraina and lots of other countries are comming up there hard and fast with a lot of amazing bands. The scene is without doubt better today, than what it was 15 years ago. Sure there's a lot of shit to be found today, and bands such as Darkthrone, Satyricon, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and so on have all moved away from the Black Metal scene a long time ago. And there's so many worthless shitbands otherwise as well, but if you look bellow that you'll find so much quality Black Metal.

[D.L.S 11]

Yes, Venom, Mercyful Fate, Celtic Frost, Hellhammer, Bathory, Sarcofago and so on were all a part of the first wave. Norway however, were a prt of the second wave with bands such as Darkthrone, Immortal, Burzum and all thos continuing what Bathory had already done on Under the Sign of the Black Mark. That's pretty much were the "trashy, dark sound" started.

I assume you only want norwegian bands, so sure I'll recommend some bands/albums:

Sarath - Siste Indre (2010)

Jammerskrik -Innlemmet i Mørke (2008)

Celestial Bloodshed - Cursed, Scarred and Forever Possessed (2008)

Mørkekunst - Mørkekunst (2004)

Mare - Throne of the Thirteenth Witch (2007)

Black Majesty - Seventh King of Edom (2009)

Kaosritual - Svøpt Morgenrød (2007)

Selvhat - Gjennom Mørket Famlende (2008)

Diabolical Breed - Compendium Infernus (2004)

Dødsengel - Visionary (2009)

Dødsengel - Mirium Occultum (2010)

Burzum - Belus (2010)

Those albums, among others are worth checking out. All of them are quite good. The 8 first is also from Nidaros (or Trondheim, if you will), where the scene is the biggest at the moment. But looking away from Norway, there's a strong Black Metal scene in the whole world. Especially Finland and Sweden have been pretty great the last few years. America and Greece is also good today, just as they were in the 80's and 90's having some of the most important bands for the evolving of Black Metal bands. But France, Germany, Japan, Australia, Ukraina and lots of other countries are comming up there hard and fast with a lot of amazing bands. The scene is without doubt better today, than what it was 15 years ago. Sure there's a lot of shit to be found today, and bands such as Darkthrone, Satyricon, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and so on have all moved away from the Black Metal scene a long time ago. And there's so many worthless shitbands otherwise as well, but if you look bellow that you'll find so much quality Black Metal.

I'll try to check some of those bands out. I've never really listened to black metal, so I'll try to find some bands that I like. To be honest, I only really like one of AW's songs and I only made this topic to see if anyone knew or liked them.

[Guest]

If you're new to Black Metal then none of those albums are what I would recommend you to start with, except for Sarath's "Siste Indre". If you look away from that there's a lot of other bands that would be a better olace to start off to get to know the genre.

[buster 3]

too bad ashley's gone - she surely spiced up things now she's in shitty CoF