ABBATH - Outstrider review

ABBATH - Outstrider

Season of Mist



So where do I start? Alright back in 2016 Abbath, formerly of IMMORTAL, came out with a new band under his name and the eponymous titled debut full length ABBATH. It even had his fuckin face on the cover. Now aside from everything offensive to me about that release's packaging and rock star aura, I actually liked it a lot. 


I've been an IMMORTAL fan forever and I saw that ABBATH debut as a follow-up of IMMORTAL's All Shall Fall release from 2009. It was great and continued the IMMORTAL legacy. But then in 2018 Demonaz and Horgh got IMMORTAL back and released the amazing Northern Chaos Gods. Personally I thought it blew Abbath's release away as far as being true to Norwegian black metal.


So now we have ABBATH's second release and he starts by having a completely new line-up. As far as the sound and direction on Outstrider go, it was a good move. Sure it's practically impossible to remove Abbath's past legacy as far as the basic song structures he uses. But these new members do give him some added help in changing lanes. 


In that regard you've got veteran guitarist Ole Andre Farstad who brings aboard lead work with a varying awry of styles. Whether we're talking thrashy leads (he use to be in a proggy thrash band ILLTI MITA) to some blues as well as some hard rockin metal. It's evident that Farstad frees Abbath from trying to come up solos that sound rehashed. 


Next up comes the new rhythm section of drummer Ukri Suvilehto and bassist Mia Wallace. As far as Suvilehto goes, this guy is a young Finnish drummer who is phenomenal. A great modern metal style of drumming that cuts within death metal as well as black metal. Personally I think he's as good as Kevin Foley (aka: Creature) from the debut. 


As far as the Italian bassist Mia Wallace goes she's no King ov Hell as far as playing and song writing goes and that's a good thing. she fills the bass role just like Ole Jorgen Moe (aka: Apollyon) did in IMMORTAL's final days.


Which brings us finally to the music portion. During ABBATH's first tour they were doing some original stuff, some obscure IMMORTAL cuts as well as an I (as in the band) song, "Warriors". So basically this release comes across like a mix of past efforts by I as well as a less BATHORY influenced IMMORTAL and some grim & frosty hard fuckin rock.


In the end yeah I like this release but after so many plays my bias can't stand up to the truth. Abbath's best effort on here is when he reverts back to I influenced blackened rock. But then he goes back to recycled riffs from IMMORTAL's All Shall Fall and even At the Heart of the Winter stuff. Personally I rather listen to those old albums after playing this.



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