Abiotic – Symbiosis

U.S.A. do have many death metal bands. Many of them are worth giving attention to, while some others just exist. Who is to say who is worthy and who is not? That is a very complicated conversation to do. First of all I state to you that this review is my opinion as objective as it can get.

Let me start by saying that “Symbiosis” is the first full length album of the Floridian band Abiotic. And the seven out of the ten tracks though are from their first release; the EP “A Universal Plague”. Anyone can say that what they play is technical death metal and deathcore. These both statements are true. Yet their music is a fusion of many things. There is technical stuff, core elements and even slam pig shrieks and growls; everything in one CD. Still I couldn’t find any interesting thing to emphasize.

The guitars are truly unstoppable. From deathcore-ish breakdowns to hyper technical solos and from sharp cut and spastic nu-metal riffs to atmospheric arpeggios we have every note imaginable. Is this progressive death metal? I cannot really say. And in addition we have the bass player Mr. Vasquez with the contribution of his bass lines makes the result of their music more progressive. This term – the progressive death metal – could be an issue for a debate in this album.
The drums in the suchlike notion they follow the path of extreme technique. They have this mathcore breaks that lean to the progressive style. Although Andres Hurtado plays as fast as possible he keeps the rhythms tight excellently. The cohesiveness of their sound is a result of the work on the drums; that I must underline.

The lyrical themes have something to do with the human kind. And they tend to be very philosophical and in some points they seem to pop out from a sci-fi movie. That is something I think Abiotic are trying to do on purpose. This sci-fi ambiance they succeed it with the use of sample sounds now and then.

The production of “Symbiosis”, as any other death metal that comes from the US, is clear and well polished. That for some people is an advantage, though for others is a handicap. Well for the music of Abiotic it fits like a glove.

As a whole the album is out of my reach. I do listen to bands as The Faceless and Origin but the stuff of these Floridian guys I found it very alien to my ears. I am sorry to rate this one that low, but I do not find anything that can take me on their side. This is the future of death metal, many have said to me. I really hope not.