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HEXIS “Abalam”+ In-Depth Review

Abalam marks the return of the Danish killing machine Hexis, one of the most promising bands and most avantgarde within the genre. After a handful of EPs, splits and some tours across Europe and South America, where the band left a trail of destruction wherever they went, Hexis left everyone on their knees begging for more. Well, do not despair. Your prayers were heard and have been answered. Hexis are back and they are angrier than ever.

First, and to contextualize you better when you listen to this album, the title: Abalam. In the Christian demonology, Abalam is the name given to the demon that possesses the human body and forces him to commit profane acts of lust among others, and this demon involves himself in such a way that sometimes the only way out is death.

Comprised of 13 tracks, each of which is named in Latin, this album could well represent the stages of an exorcism. It opens with the intro “Faciem,” whose riffs announce the coming of a demonic entity. And behold, the possession takes over with “Tenebris,” an avalanche of intense blackened riffs that are fired all over while the drummer plays at a pace that seems more like he’s controlling a frantic shredding machine, crushing everything in its stride. All of this is taking place as the voice of shredder Flip, sounding more evil than ever, rips through the middle of this dense blackness. All of you who know the band and have followed them since day one (like me) know what to expect here: a dense wall of the most perverted and vicious blackened hardcore dipped in the most corrupt sludge. This formula is followed diligently in the following tracks “Exanimis,” “>Desolatum” and “Sequax,” in which the voice of Flip is aided by vocals that scream almost in despair in the background. Like I once stated, Hexis could easily be that false twin of the French band Céleste, from whom they were separated at birth, causing hate and anger to grow and mold her character.

All this overwhelming pace is broken only when we get halfway through the album. The interlude “Supplex,” which basically consists of spewing some riffs, setting the mood for the instrumental that gives the name to the album title, “Abalam,” an instrumental that, in a completely cinematic way, fulfills the desired effect of creating an image in our mind. We are in a very dark and cold room. The stench of sulphur in the air is strong almost making us sick. Before us, tied to a bed, lays this form, this black body, and in the midst of this darkness the only thing that we can see is its empty eyes shining, full of evil.

Without warning, we are swallowed  into the middle of this maleficent sonic attack with “Immolabant,” that extends to “Exhausit,” the flaming “Timor,” “Exterminati” and “Neglexerunt” that form a mass of chaotic and unrestrained sound that has only one purpose: to devour us.

The profane ritual concludes with “Inferi” the longest track of the album, and perhaps the most interesting one of all. This specific track is much slower than the rest, almost stepping into sludge territories, transporting us to that cold place again where there is no light, no hope; at last we are totally engulfed by darkness .

“Abalam” serves 35 minutes of pure chaos and destruction as the band makes the (successful) effort of not giving us a second of rest. Again, a great demolishing record by Hexis

European fans will have the opportunity to see Hexis once again shred the stages and perform this beast on an album live. Check the tour dates below:

January tour with Exhaustion:

17: Chemiefabrik, Dresden (Germany)

18: Off Centrum, Krakow (Poland)

19: Przychodnia Skłot, Warsaw (Poland)

20: XI20, Vilnius (Lithuania)

21: Ülase12, Tallinn (Estonia)

22: Depo, Riga (Latvia)

23 (early): kitOKios pamOKos, Alytus (Lithuania)

23 (late): Underground Pub, Kaunas (Lithuania)

24: Rozbrat Squat, Poznan (Poland)

25: Reil78, Halle (Germany)

February tour with Église:

6: Hafermarkt, Flensburg (Germany)

7: Privat, Köln (Germany)

8: Deep Drone Festival (Hirscheneck), Basel (Switzerland)

9: Bocciodromo, Vicenza (Italy)

10: Sidro Club, Casena (Italy)

11: Cycle Club, Calenzano (Italy)

12: Villa Vegan Squat, Milan (Italy)

13: Mukuku, Kremsmünster (Austria)

14: AK44, Gießen (Germany)

15: Döser Börse, Cuxhaven (Germany)

Featuring artwork designed by Craig Murray, Abalam will be distributed in the US by the hand of Halo of Flies and in Europe by Musicfearsatan.

Let yourself be possessed by this brutal record by Hexis.