ALBUM REVIEW: In Time For The Last Rays Of Light – Abrahma

It goes without saying that the topic of mental heath is one at the forefront of day-to-day living, not just in this country but across the world. French doom-meisters ABRAHMA have taken this as an overriding theme to fourth album In Time For The Last Rays Of Light and combined it with their own brand of melancholy and despair, shaking up a cocktail that becomes their debut release via Small Stone Records this month. The band have two members making their creative bow in the fold, bassist Guillaume Theoden and drummer Sacha Vicken joining remaining duo Sebastien Bismuth and Nicolas Muller.

Given that ABRAHMA are influenced by all things gloomy and sullen, it’s no surprise that the album opens with huge riffs and a weighty atmosphere courtesy of Lost.Forever. However, the theme of the record, coupled with Bismuth‘s mournful vocals and lyrics, adds a considerable amount on the top, resulting in a crushing experience that is not only maintained throughout the album but also dips, weaves and swirls much in the same way that a condition such as depression or anxiety can behave on an individual sufferer. Lucidity Adrift adds a ladleful of post-metal into the mix, resulting in a nice contrast as the ringing out of the guitars becomes almost ethereal and heavenly amongst the hellish nature that underpins the track. The first half is rounded out by Eclipse Of The Sane (Part 1): Isolation Ghosts, the longest track at almost nine minutes. It starts steadier than the previous songs and is certainly rawer in nature, but a colossal riff halfway through heralds a second movement which is akin to the human senses as a soft drinks can crushing under the force of a hobnailed boot.

A small interlude, Dusk Contemplation follows and segues into Last Epistle, the standout track with a mammoth tip of the hat to BLACK SABBATH from Muller. Beautifully paced and structured, much like the forefathers of metal themselves there’s a touch of the psychedelic and stoner about the track which really helps it as it journeys through with ease, eventually fading out and leaving you wondering what just happened. Wander In Sedation continues the bleak feeling, the guitars playing the opening bars of Beethoven‘s 9th Symphony, known collectively as Ode To Joy, adding a lovely juxtaposition to proceedings. The sprawling Eclipse Of The Sane (Part 2): Fiddler Of The Bottle incorporates group vocals that hark back to the grunge feel of ALICE IN CHAINS which immediately instigate more dark clouds and There Bears The Fruit Of Deceit bastardises religion in more than just it’s title. Bismuth is at his very best here vocally and his cries of “Why have you foresaken?” really talk of a person angry at God for letting them get into the state that they’re in.

If you’re not familiar with ABRAHMA up until now, they draw on the likes of CANDLEMASS and ELECTRIC WIZARD along with the aforementioned SABBATH, and if you like your metal heavy, slow and very nearly at the point of being overwhelming, you’re going to do far worse than this album. But on a more serious note, if you’re one of the millions out there who does have days where the black dog is the size of a wolf, this will make the perfect cathartic soundtrack to help you through.

Rating: 8/10

In Time For The Last Rays Of Light is set for release May 24th via Small Stone Records. 

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