Ever since I heard Aborted’s split with Christ Denied a few years ago, the question that has been running through my head is "What’s the big deal? They sound like yet another 3rd rate Suffocation clone to me." I asked myself the same question a few years later when they released Engineering The Dead. 2003 was a new year and time for a big change for Belgium’s most renown death metal act, guitarist Niek and bassist Koen were sent packing, and along with them went the Suffocation worshipping sound, to be replaced by new guitarist Bart and bassist Fre, and a Carcass Heartwork-era worshipping sound. I will say one thing about the band, they do know how to play their instruments, and play them extremely well, unfortunately, their songwriting abilities are like a giant impressive turd swirling around and around the toilet bowl; the coolness factor wears off about 10 seconds later when disgust sets in. Believe me, I’ve tried to get into Aborted, but try as I may, the music just never sticks, be it the older material or the newer material, they just always seem like they’re trying too hard, without actually trying anything unique. The thing that really bothers me about Aborted is that it doesn’t matter which album you listen to, you always feel like you’re listening to another band’s CD, just due to the sheer volume of music they cut and paste into their own songs. Even the samples they use as intros have been used hundreds of times before by bands far more creative than this. The sad thing is, I’m honestly picking my brain trying to say nice things about this CD because I’m friends with singer Sven, hell, look around you, you see the header and background of the new Teufel’s Tomb? That was done by Sven, so I really have no reason to be vindictive or anything, unfortunately his main band, Aborted, just do absolutely nothing for me. Worse than that, they really annoy the fuck out of me. I think what bothers me the most about it is the fact that the segments of song they copy are some of the most creative and inventive riffs and music written in death metal ever, and to simply copy it and say "Here, this is mine." is like pissing in a bottle and calling it Mountain Dew. It may be similar in color, it may be similar in substance, but when it comes to actually consuming it, it’s just not right. Not right at all. I mean, come on, they even have the balls to cover a Carcass song on the album, they should have just made the entire thing a cover album, then I’d probably just say "It’s fucking fantastic!" The only bright spots on this puddle of poo are the video (which somehow just reeks of Impaled, but fun nevertheless) and the artwork, which is great as always.

Written By: Teufel