Review Summary: Abigail Williams has the potential to be something great, but an evolution in songwriting and a more original style needs to develop before this transformation can occur.
Black metal is a delicate thing for musicians to create. When done right, this genre can be an enthralling experience. Bands like Nocte Obducta and In The Woods... pique the listener's interest while remaining unconventional. However, the genre has undoubtedly grown stagnant like a lake that has been still for far too long. Underneath the top layer of murk, there may be a deserted treasure chest that is just waiting to be found, but Abigail Williams'
In The Shadow of A Thousand Suns is definitely not this treasure chest. However, it is not the putrid murk either. Rather, it is like a fish in this pond... entirely expected.
A lack of originality is in a guise of technical musicianship on this album. Although this overtly symphonic album comes with a suitable element of precision and speed, everything on this album has been done before by far better musicians. This leads to a bland release by a band who really
do have potential. On “A Thousand Suns”, said technicality works to the album's advantage. The haunting piano segments, while isolated, are intricate and melodic, and the drums are precise and steadfast. However, Abigail Williams' effort is still entirely mediocre. The listener's interest is piqued when and only when the concept of originality or being memorable is brought into play. “I” is far too short to have even been placed on this album, and “Acolytes” is far too bland too be an interesting listen. The repetition of piano intros make the album way too monotonous to be enjoyable. While bands like Emperor used these atmospheric piano sections enjoyable and coherent, the ones on this album seem to verge on being contrived. But in this technical, yet bland collection of songs, there is still hope.
The production here is crisp and clear; not a single instrument is neglected, and this leads to a far more accessible and enjoyable listen. And even though there are the occasional croaks in the vocalist's voice, the high-pitched shrieks are adept. The technicality of the instruments is a nice addition, but the instruments and the vocals really do nothing to enhance the stale songwriting on this album. This leaves one to realize that Abigail Williams has the potential to be something great, but an evolution in songwriting and a more original style needs to develop before this transformation can occur. This leaves
In The Shadow of A Thousand Suns in the field of genericism with an amount of potential to either find its way out or expire where they stand.
