ABACINATE

"Challenging Technical Death Metal with a message, Ruination features plenty of grunting vocals, chugging riffwork and jarring breakdowns but there is a method behind all of this madness. Abacinate preach the worthlessness of human existence and the hypocrisy of the perception of the masses when it comes to things like media manipulation, sexual brutality and religion. This is one fucked-up slab of Death Metal and you will never be the same if you even make it through alive!"
- SOD Magazine

"...when New Jersey's ABACINATE moves from skull-cracking stagger to what could in another universe be a power metal gallop of the Maiden variety ("No Big Deal... Death Always Comes With The Territory"), then back again, it's magic. "The Lips That Never Smile" is worth the price of admission for it's title alone, but delivers solid musicianship and impressive drum work, putting the guitars through the paces. The band clearly flings themselves all over the tech spectrum, but knows enough to keep memorability first and foremost, resulting in songs you can actually remember after they're finished. Abacinate sweats motor oil, bleeds passion, and has the groove machine on lock down." - Metal Maniacs Magazine

"Abacinate" is a real word, not just a Slayer lyric. It means to "blind by holding a red-hot metal plate before someone's eyes." New Jersey's Abacinate aren't quite so painful. In fact, they're quite pleasant. Ruination (Epitomite, 2008) is a death metal kaleidoscope of Carcass harmonies, Cannibal Corpse pick squeals, Suffocation breakdowns, rising Death licks, and even a snippet of Gothenburg melodies to which I'll turn a blind eye. The riffs are strong, and the grooves are infectious. One gets the sense the recording session was actually fun. Movie samples help in this regard. They're not as profuse as with Graf Orlock or Killwhitneydead, but they're good for a surprise or two. The production is perfect - heavy and steely. I'm not hot on death metal these days, but I've been playing this nonstop. - Invisible Oranges Metal MP3

Now this was a pleasant surprise; a band from New Jersey that didn't sound like Waking The Cadaver. They brought one of the WTC guys up for guest vocals on one song, but mostly stuck to kickass old-school brutality in the vein of a less-evolved Decrepit Birth. It made for a good restart after the downtime, and some fun headbanging, along with a few breakdowns for the ninjas. Good stuff from a traveling band; I picked up one of their shirts later. - Observes from the Satellite

If I'd have to pinpoint this band's style as a single genre, I'd put them as deathcore. They have an array of influences that range from chugging hardcore to brutal and technical death, combined into a well-balanced mix that I'd describe as breakdown-ridden, part melodic - part brutal groovy death metal. Abacinate have plenty of diverse ideas, which make Ruination an original and solid album. - Negative Existence, Product Review

Ruination - Epitomite Productions.

Groovy-as-really-groovy-things death/grind from NJ
MeGrindGood’s humble opinion: Man! I wanted to review this CD halfway through it’s first song! But to my credit (and my wife’s appreciation) I did the dishes instead, while blasting it through my wireless headphones… No “doin’ the dishes” isn’t a metaphor for havin’ relations… although doin’ it with Abacinate pummelling my senses and sensibilities could be interesting…

This CD came in the mail today, after pre-ordering it a week ago, having been so impressed when I reviewed their split with (god-rot) not so long ago. This first full-length out of Abacinate is full of surprises. Extra bars, short bars, genre changes to finish riffs. It’s all there. Totally unpredictable, and harder to pick than a broken nose. They even have metalcore moments that aren’t too intolerable. I’m not just slagging metalcore ‘cause everyone else is. I just don’t care for it. The major vocal style is the “bree bree bree” that I really dig, a style of vocals that seems like the voice of effort, and lends itself to the overall aggressive effect. He also has screams, squeals, roars, yells and even some spoken word. It’s all well-executed and adds to the intensity of Ruination. The lyrics are a mystery to me (not having had time to read ‘em), but with titles like “Negating The Omnipotence Of Your So-Called Man In The Sky”, “She Gave Up The Ghost” and “Six And Eight Hard (Nickel Each)”, I’m going to make a point of doing so. Ruination is so well-produced, and kind of reminds me of JFAC’s DOOM EP, particularly vocally, and with those awesome “sonic booms” that just kick my arse.

This CD is even more impressive than their EP Portrayal Of The Grey Man, but is a logical progression with even more surprises. Buy this from Epitomite Productions if you’re into well-produced groovy death/grind that thinks outside the box. I’ll be seein’ these lads at Central Illinois Metalfest in July. We’ll see if I’ve gotten around to reading the lyrics by then. - The Grinder Times

Dubbed "working-class, beer-drinking metal" by the band on its MySpace page, the description of "Ruination" by New Jersey's ABACINATE doesn't tell much about the style heard on the disc, but I've no reason to disbelieve that the boys are working class, drink beer, and play/listen to metal. More accurately, "Ruination" is varied, brutal death metal played with technical proficiency and inclusive of shape-shifting arrangements that incorporate a variety of extreme music styles.

The tech-death tendencies occur throughout the disc. Evidently, the act gets bored with songs that ride one style for too long. That does not mean that ABACINATE recklessly throws together a jumble of disjoined parts without cohesiveness or attention to song structure. For the most part, the fusing of segments works well, offering plenty of chances for the listener to get a little groove going or succumb to self-inflicted whiplash. Brutal death is the thread that runs through the album, but there are moments that recall a modern deathcore style, mainly in the occasional use of breakdowns, which are usually brief. Periodically, one hears reference points that range from DYING FETUS (e.g., one particular riff/groove in "These Thing were Meant to Kill You") to DEEDS OF FLESH to IMPALED (especially when the relatively intelligible growls/gurgles of Ian Neal switch to high-end screams). On a handful of tracks, the band really tosses everything but the kitchen sink into the mix, "She Gave Up the Ghost" a case in point. The track sees the group move from slow, winding tempos interspersed with spastic grindcore blasts, to brief sections of Swedish melo-death to chugging breakdowns to a sewage gurgle accompanied by only bass and drums. A surprisingly melodic section with a decidedly non-DM lead comes from out of nowhere during one part of "How I would have Done it", while a southern metal groove pops up in "Delirium Tremens". Not everything succeeds smashingly, but the majority of the time the band hits the mark from the standpoint of composition.

Certainly an album that will appeal to the ADHD death metal fan, "Ruination" packs a lot of punch and keeps things interesting. Certainly not a grand slam, but a pretty entertaining and pit-worthy effort nonetheless. - BLABBERMOUTH.NET - the CNN of heavy metal and hard rock news

Don’t you just love death metal bands who have a singer that sounds like he changes into a demonic seal with a 5 word vocabulary, but all 5 words still sound like ‘Orr!Orr!orr-orr-orr!ORT!’ half of the time? Well, the Portrayal Of The Grey Man EP from New Jersey’s Abacinate will be a nice little appetizer in preparation for the full-length the band is currently working on for Epitomite Records. So grab yourself a bucket of smelt, make an angry face, and toss a few in the air and try and catch ‘em in your mouth while you listen to this, just to experience the full effect of it all.

Self-indulgent metaphors aside, Abacinate deliver some decent gory death metal that isn’t afraid to throw in some nice old-school New York and midwest styled melodies and riff arrangements throughout. But they’re one of those bands who never really stick to one tempo for very long, yet manage to keep from going entirely all over the place in a mess of unnecessary contrasts. There’s an occasional pinch harmonic situation going on that metalcore bands enjoy overusing lately, and vocalist Ian Neal belts out a higher rasp often and rare gruff power shouts that lean towards heavier hardcore, but for the most part this is rather inoffensive if the breakdown/blast bunch tend to drive you crazy (even though “The Lips That Never Smile“ is very much of that nature).

Abacinate don’t overdo the arpeggios or sweeps, but they aren’t afraid of composing unique leads and bridges when needed, their riff arrangements are fairly interesting but still somewhat recycled for the genre overall, but they perform the style well in comparison to their peers. There’s also quite a bit of no-frills death groove they like to throw in when their fingers and wrists need a break, musically reminding me a little bit of Jungle Rot when they slow down, and Fleshgrind when they accelerate. Simple, but still somewhat lively. Actually, the more straightforward moments sound a little odd with Mr. Possessed Sea Mammal grunting over the more direct sections, but it’s nothing to get too turned off over.

As far as production goes, Portrayal… is solid and doesn’t sound stiff or overly polished, but a tweaking of the drums to give them a thicker tone wouldn’t have hurt. Still, this EP does the job and offers clear insight as to what the band has to offer, but I think they have the potential to do more with their music, and push their creative limits further. Entirely average and well-performed, hopefully they’ll make an attempt to really stand out in the future, because they’re definitely not bad, but nothing to get excited over just yet. - MetalReview.com

Abacinate return with a new full-length of insane brutality! Some of you may have heard the band on the split CD with Godrot (also released by Epitomite) “Ruination” is a release not to be missed by all who worship the sounds of brutal Death Metal and grinding insanity. But before you write the band off as just another brutal band from the US. The guys also like to surprise you with sudden stops and some really insane but well-played guitar solos and drumming that is top-notch! Abacinate should please all fans of brutal Death Metal. And impress all of those who thought the scene had dried up or lost all it's good bands. - MINACIOUS WebZine