Abigail Williams - In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns (Candlelight Records) - Back
Being named after one of the accusers in the Salem witch trials one would think that the result would be dark and evil. In the case with Abigail Williams, this is more than true. They bring forth an unwavering darkness that the greats in extreme metal have presented over the years. At one time the band broke up for a short period, but reformed with a different lineup, as well as relocated a few times. However Abigail Williams is stronger than ever now with their new studio effort “In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns”.

It seems like they took one giant step forward from their last CD, the "Legend" EP. “In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns” sounds like Abigail Williams have been writing music together for many years. It’s very cohesive. The song composition reminds me of 3 great black metal bands: Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, and Emperor. Never too much of either at one time, but noticeably enough to mention. Also they can be reminiscent of Borknagar, Opeth, Dark Funeral, Marduk, and Immortal. All together they present a sound of their own within the melancholy black metal stratum.

The album starts off with an instrumental and it takes off from that point. Tons of extreme ingredients resonate throughout the disc. Most notably are the blistering blast beats played at a fastidious pace and speed-driven black metal riffs that try to call up the demons from below. Adding to the guitar elements are the shredding solos that take no prisoners and the inspiring guitar leads. Both guitars play off each other well. Atmospheric keys help increase the dynamics of the band, almost making Abigail Williams’ sound majestic at times. At the helm of the band is the perfect formulation of blackened vocals. Typical black metal vocals for the majority of the composition, but incorporated into the music are also growl, screams, high-pitched screams, dying gasps, and even more.

Abigail Williams has an awesome way they layer their music. It gives them a full sound like nothing is missing in the orchestration. Combine that with a solid production and you have an album with the full power of the dark angel’s legions.

Several tracks on “In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns” black metal fans will appreciate. “The World Beyond,” “Acolytes,” “Into the Ashes,” and “The Departure” are all excellent tunes. And pretty much everything else is at least decent too, even the eerie sounding atmospheric instrumental “A Semblance of Life”. If you are into black metal or extreme metal in general you need to check out Abigail Williams’ “In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns”. It may just fill that blackened hole in your soul.

Rating: 92

Reviewed By: Jeffrey D. Adkins