Review by Alex on December 17, 2018.

Dipping hands into the lake of forbidden water, Abyssous springs from the hidden depths like a rattle snake playing possum. The unimaginable force of tension and the ceremonial sigils sealing the gateway to a hidden dimension has been penetrated, now the darkness comes trampling forth like an army of wild and deranged captives. A new wave of hatred places its accursed hands on land once so fertile and innocent; now barren and blasphemed. Abyssous, a German 3 piece death metal band that has existed for such a long time within the underground movement, has been observing and taking note of what the scene has slowly been changing into; driven by the stomping hoofs of the ancient ways of death metal, Abyssous wanders around like a senile being, severely whacking anything within its reach. 

5 years in the making, this new Ep titled Mesa brings along the memories of 2013’s Smouldering and paints it in the modernity of voluminous sound waves that cut deeply into the memory of the listener and triggers the frontal lobe. 2013’s Smouldering sounded like a slightly above average death metal album, with most of the music paying homage to the early days when thrash metal was slowly branching away into darker and more horrifying depths. That special season of 1988-89 before 90s death metal hit with such force and unapologetic potency that you could blindfold yourself and select a death metal band that you would cherish for aeons. Mesa is the amalgamation of the old rotting feeling you would get from early death metal riffs aided by a loud and semi polished production. You can hear the rattling beauty of the snare drum from fast to mid tempo blast beats, the riffs in comparison to the prior release are much more thoughtful and sound apart of the music rather than filler. The vocals carry an overtone of carnivorous howls that aid in the peak of each song and sounds even more depraved when delivered over those swarming guitar notes. With such a roaring vocalist it is easy to see why Mesa has turned out to be exceedingly better than Smouldering. This new improved sound appears to be something the band was missing in order for their music to be taken more seriously and separate them from the multitude. The consistency displayed throughout the record is breathtaking; from the opening song “Mesa” right down to later moments on the record being “Impelled”, “Oceano”, “Aerosoils” and the Portal-esque “Congealed Lores”. The initial feeling is built into a massive cloud of cavernous intertwining mazes that cause the urge for repeated listens. Having the record portray a sense of fear and mystery as energies working with each other in order to manifest a single congealed image is truly special considering the effort put forth by Abyssous in the creation of such a defining era in their music. 

There has to be more coming from Abyssous soon, though Mesa is a remarkable release that uses interludes incredibly well to create a quivering and unsettling atmosphere (by the way), the feeling that the band is merely testing the waters of their potential for a full-length release beckons loudly throughout Mesa. 

Malignant projectiles of astral weaponry:

• “Mesa”
• ”Impelled”
• ”Ocaeon”
• ”Aerosoils”
• ”Congealed Lores” 

Rating: 8.4 out of 10

Review by Adam M on November 5, 2025.

This new album features a great sound that is a nice combination of thrash metal with a sort of groove tone that is very infectious.  It has a sort of groove to it that is very catchy and makes the band appealing to a whole new generation of listeners.  It is very catchy music that has the right amount of aggression to blend in and form a complete experience.  The sound of the band is unique and somewhat akin to Celtic Frost.   There are memorable songs like "Sacrificial Lamb".

The musicianship on the album is solid with groovy guitars and vocals that are somewhat nefarious and really interesting.  The production is modern sounding and adds to the vibe of the album which is somewhat modernized.  There is still room for improvement as there isn’t really an overly thoughtful aspect to the album as it attempts to simply thrash out at times.

In terms of flaws, in comparison to Celtic Frost, there is a somewhat more interesting vibe to that band at times, despite this being quite innovative stuff.  There is a really harsh aspect that is combined with a more futuristic one to make for an outstanding technical experience.  Though it is not the most original thrash album ever, it is very innovative and makes use of a very unique sound.

On the whole this is a compelling and interesting album that is one of the better ones the band has produced and entirely one of the best thrash albums of the season.  People looking for something completely fresh will be disappointed, but those looking for an album that has a very distinctive vibe to it will find a lot to like here.

Rating: 7.6/10