Do not listen to this album if you are just passing the time, you will get totally bored. It’s always seems to be a tossup when people are asked what their favorite Abigor album is… I prefer their older material, Orkblut being my most favorite, and I’m very tempted to say this is their best release since then. Similar in production and songwriting style to Supreme Immortal Art, Channeling The Quintessence Of Satan benefits from some major improvements that truly heightens the art of black metal to new levels. Larger-name black metal bands who consider this a crucial part of their technique might want to take a look over here to understand what that’s all about it. The tightness in the sound (such as the end of "Equilibrium Pass By") is like a fist that’s not only hammering you in the face, it’s poking you in the belly button with a roaring, spiked drill and spilling hot coffee on all your comic books as well!! Songs are kept concise and straight to the point, nothing is dragged on. I find myself listening to this album over and over to get my fill. Whereas Supreme… aroused a more atmospheric feel (for me at least, and I didn’t really get too into that album) despite all its complexity, Channeling… is a much more direct attack, full of memorable riffs courtesy of the ruthless, bright, thick & very tight guitar tone. Abigor writes and effectively plays riffs that others might think about in their head but can’t quite get down on tape, such as the blazing, twisted slash to the face about 3 minutes into "Utopia Consumed". Traditional Abigor-style breakdown parts in songs like "Wildfire And Desire" or "Utopia Consumed" seep into me, making me wish I could fly over a church and drop rubber mallets on people’s heads. The key to this is the punch in the production. Their fantastic, medieval-inspired core melodies alone would render this an awesome album. As with Supreme…, the layering of many different parts here seems to be an overload at first…all the added melody layers and supplements will confuse, bewilder and possibly irritate even the most mature listener… but give it time and keep listening, and it will (hopefully) sink in. They need to keep themselves interested, after all. In fact, at times one may notice themselves focusing mainly on the high-note melodies swirling around, carrying them into a further realm of synthetic oblivion (where they can stay and dwell and figure out exactly what the hell that’s supposed to mean). This is an album you will play years from now and say, "I don’t remember all this being here." Also, track 6, "Demon’s Vortex", has a riff from "Kingdom Of Darkness" (off the first Abigor). Drums are, in the usual Abigor tradition, precise as fuck, fast parts even faster than before, yet still successful at creating atmosphere when they’re not busy putting dents in your head (like the beginning of "Pandemonic Revelation"). Synths on this album extend to nothing more than very brief intros that connect each song, save the last. All additional layering to the music is done completely with guitars. Vocals (performed by Thurisaz of Heidenreich) are perhaps the only one-dimensional element of this album, however I don’t really see this as a bad thing. Although not as bright or having as much range as Silenius’, they certainly emit a lot of power and melt with the music very well. Strangely, they sound strongest on the last track, "Pandora’s Miasmic Breath", a ruthless, more primitive (well, for Abigor) song with rougher sound (and an even more abrasive, ripping guitar). This album doesn’t let down and become stale for a moment. Open your mind, appreciate this here and now and support Abigor, one of the mightiest forces this music has granted us.

Written By: Abbas