When signing up to review this album, two powers warred in my head. On one side was my trepidation at approaching an album as complex and chaotic as a Bekor Qilish release and trying to make any sort of sense from it. But on the other side there was my deep love for this project, especially for Throes of Death From the Dream Nihilism. That love ended up winning and I volunteered to try and tackle Consecrated Abysses of Dread, the project's newest release. And you know what? I'm glad I did. Consecrated Abysses of Dread is an excellent release from Bekor Qilish, "filling in" the sound of the band in all sorts of intriguing and, yes, bewildering ways.
The first thing that might jump at you when you hit play is how much fuller and more present the production is. Don't get me wrong, Throes of Death's production had a certain brittleness to it that worked well with the angular thrash at hand. But now that I've heard this style of sound applied to it, I never want to go back. The guitars are much clearer, without losing that edge that every good thrash album (even thrash as experimental, avantgarde, and technical as this) needs. They are so satisfying just to listen to, regardless of the excellent composition at hand. They're also backed by some great bass, not too audible and yet not too subtle, just there enough to shore up the excellent riffs even further.
And then there are the synths. Holy shit, the synths on this album are so good! Both in sound and in the purpose they serve, as a wilder, more theatrical counterpoint to the guitars, the synths on this album absolutely dominated my first few listens. I think the off-kilter, winding lines of "No Solace At the Eschaton", the second track on the album, are my favorite. They manage to sound both futuristic and putrid at the same time, a kind of sickly, technological sound that works so well with the cover art and with the overall vibes of Bekor Qilish. They are also composed to a tee; there's a point to each synth line and they are used sparingly, meaning that when they do appear, they are not just tacked on and their impact rings true throughout the release.
And then there's everything else: the whirling, unstoppable compositions, the moments of groove that somehow still shine through, the sickly, alien, high pitch harsh vocals, and even some beautiful clean vocals courtesy of a bunch of guests (like blog favorite Gabriele Gramaglia). At the core, there is Bekor Qilish, the unrelenting, unparalleled conjurer of chaotic and yet oddly enticing technical thrash metal. Man, what a year it's already been for technical/avantgarde thrash and now Bekor Qilish has emerged with one of the best entries in the style to date. So, girdle your loins my friends and keep your courage at hand as you dive into the maelstrom that is Consecrated Abysses of Dread. Like me, you won't regret it.