Absu
Encyclopedia
Absu is a black metal
band from Plano, Texas
, USA. Their demos and first album leaned towards death metal
, but evolved more towards a black metal
and thrash metal
which includes elements of celtic music
and folk music
(and later, elements of jazz fusion
, progressive rock
and psychedelic music
) which the band calls "Mythological Occult Metal". Their lyrical themes are esoteric, including themes of Celtic myths and legends, Sumerian myths and legends, magic, weaponry, and sorcery.
they were joined by Proscriptor McGovern (Russ R. Givens - Drums, Vocals, Lyrics), David Athron Mystica (Guitars), and Black Massith (Keyboards, Synth, Sequencing). After releasing their first album Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. in 1993, Absu narrowed their line-up to a three piece when David Athron Mystica and Black Massith left. For live performances, they recruited the help of Mezzadurus (from Philadelphia Black Thrashers, Bloodstorm) and recorded as a three piece with Shaftiel and Proscriptor sharing vocal duties and Proscriptor taking over keyboard and synth duties as well. The band stayed with this line-up for some time. With their second album, The Sun of Tiphareth
(1995), the band explored Sumerian
, Mesopotamian, and Celtic mythology
. The band's third album, The Third Storm of Cythraul (1997), drew inspiration mainly from Celtic mythology, and continued their intellectual approach. Over the next four years, Equitant and Proscriptor worked with the ambient group Equimanthorn and Absu's sole release was the EP
In the Eyes of Ioldánach
(1998).
In 2001, Absu recruited a new second guitarist, Kashshapxu. The band released their fifth album that year, Tara, which continued the Celtic theme of Cythraul and Ioldánach, and featured bagpipes
on the title track. The album is considered the band's masterpiece, and is described by McGovern as a concept album
:
This line-up was short-lived as soon after recording Tara, Equitant left due to musical differences (however, he and Proscriptor still collaborate on other projects to this day). Shortly after that, Proscriptor severely injured his hand in an accident, which required surgery to repair his hand. After almost a year of healing and therapy, he was ready to play again but Shaftiel no longer had any interest in Absu and Kashshapxu had also left the band due to musical differences. Proscriptor then put Absu on hold and decided to work on other projects. During this period he auditioned for Slayer but Slayer eventually went with their original drummer Dave Lombardo
. In 2005, Proscriptor and Equitant put together a collection of rare, live and unreleased Absu recordings and released it under the title 'Mythological Occult Metal: 1991-2001' based on the suggestion of a fan.
With Absu still on hold, Proscriptor continued to work on other projects including Equimanthorn (with Equitant and members of The Soil Bleeds Black
, dark ambient music), Proscriptor (his own project of neo-folk/classic rock fused music), and Starchaser Network (with Equitant and Victorious; electronic art/rock band). Additionally, he was the drummer/vocalist for Melechesh
for six years (1999–2005; although still contributes lyrics and vocals) and has done session work with Judas Iscariot
, Thornspawn, and Magnus Thorsen. Proscriptor also has his own record label, Tarot Productions.
In May 2007, Prosciptor finally announced the addition of Vastator Terrarum and Aethyris MacKay to the band. In early 2008, Absu announced they had signed with Candlelight Records for their future recordings but will release a 7" EP through Relapse Records. That EP was "Speed N' Spikes", a limited series featuring their first new material in seven years. In March 2008, Vastator Terrarum had left the band but had been replaced by Zawicizuz (formerly of the bands Infernal Oak, Rape Pillage Burn, and Bleed The Son). In October 2008, the band added ex-Panzram member Ezezu on bass and vocals, after completing the recording of their latest, self-titled album, released on February 16 (Europe) / February 24, (USA) 2009 on Candlelight Records
.
In September 2009, Zawicizuz left Absu and was replaced by Vis Crom of Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, Woe and XXX Maniak. The band then embarked on a European tour with Pantheon I
, Razor of Occam and Zoroaster
.
In November 2010, Absu announced that they would be doing a six-date U.S. tour with Immortal
in February 2011 as a three piece as Aethyris MacKay has left to join Pantheon I. After this tour, Absu entered the studio to record their next album, titled 'Abzu' (released in October 2011) and follow up with a tour.
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band from Plano, Texas
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
, USA. Their demos and first album leaned towards death metal
Death metal
Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
, but evolved more towards a black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
and thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
which includes elements of celtic music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
(and later, elements of jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
and psychedelic music
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
) which the band calls "Mythological Occult Metal". Their lyrical themes are esoteric, including themes of Celtic myths and legends, Sumerian myths and legends, magic, weaponry, and sorcery.
Biography
The band originally formed as Dolmen in 1989, and after briefly taking the name Azathoth, they became Absu in 1991. The original members were Equitant Ifernain (Guitars, Bass, Lyrics) and Shaftiel (Guitars, Vocals). After recording two demos and releasing an EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
they were joined by Proscriptor McGovern (Russ R. Givens - Drums, Vocals, Lyrics), David Athron Mystica (Guitars), and Black Massith (Keyboards, Synth, Sequencing). After releasing their first album Barathrum: V.I.T.R.I.O.L. in 1993, Absu narrowed their line-up to a three piece when David Athron Mystica and Black Massith left. For live performances, they recruited the help of Mezzadurus (from Philadelphia Black Thrashers, Bloodstorm) and recorded as a three piece with Shaftiel and Proscriptor sharing vocal duties and Proscriptor taking over keyboard and synth duties as well. The band stayed with this line-up for some time. With their second album, The Sun of Tiphareth
The Sun of Tiphareth
The Sun of Tiphareth is the second full length studio album by the black metal band Absu. It was released on Osmose Productions in 1995.-Track listing:*All Music By Absu. Lyrics By Proscriptor and Equitant, with additional lyrics by Trent White...
(1995), the band explored Sumerian
Sumerian religion
Sumerian religion refers to the mythology, pantheon, rites and cosmology of the Sumerian civilization. The Sumerian religion influenced Mesopotamian mythology as a whole, surviving in the mythologies and religions of the Hurrians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and other culture...
, Mesopotamian, and Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
. The band's third album, The Third Storm of Cythraul (1997), drew inspiration mainly from Celtic mythology, and continued their intellectual approach. Over the next four years, Equitant and Proscriptor worked with the ambient group Equimanthorn and Absu's sole release was the EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
In the Eyes of Ioldánach
In the Eyes of Ioldánach
In the Eyes of Ioldánach is an EP by black metal band Absu.It was released in 1998 by Osmose Productions. In March of 2009, the EP was re-released with the 2001 album Tara in a digipak.-Credits:*Proscriptor - Drums and Vocals...
(1998).
In 2001, Absu recruited a new second guitarist, Kashshapxu. The band released their fifth album that year, Tara, which continued the Celtic theme of Cythraul and Ioldánach, and featured bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
on the title track. The album is considered the band's masterpiece, and is described by McGovern as a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
:
"The album is presented in a chronicled assembly dividing it into two phases: 'Ioldánach's Pedagogy' and 'The Cythrául Klan's Scrutiny'. Certain goals and objectives were finally accomplished with 'Tara', through exploration of our ancestral attributes and channeling divisions of pure magic within our minds and souls".
This line-up was short-lived as soon after recording Tara, Equitant left due to musical differences (however, he and Proscriptor still collaborate on other projects to this day). Shortly after that, Proscriptor severely injured his hand in an accident, which required surgery to repair his hand. After almost a year of healing and therapy, he was ready to play again but Shaftiel no longer had any interest in Absu and Kashshapxu had also left the band due to musical differences. Proscriptor then put Absu on hold and decided to work on other projects. During this period he auditioned for Slayer but Slayer eventually went with their original drummer Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo
Dave Lombardo is a Cuban American heavy metal drummer best known for his work with American thrash metal band Slayer. He has performed with Slayer on seven albums, including their groundbreaking 1986 release Reign In Blood and their 2006 release Christ Illusion, for which he received critical praise...
. In 2005, Proscriptor and Equitant put together a collection of rare, live and unreleased Absu recordings and released it under the title 'Mythological Occult Metal: 1991-2001' based on the suggestion of a fan.
With Absu still on hold, Proscriptor continued to work on other projects including Equimanthorn (with Equitant and members of The Soil Bleeds Black
The Soil Bleeds Black
The Soil Bleeds Black is a pagan Neo-Medieval band from Ashburn, Virginia.-History:The Soil Bleeds Black was conceived in the year 1992 as a project that focused on the experimental visions of twin brothers, Mark and Michael Riddick...
, dark ambient music), Proscriptor (his own project of neo-folk/classic rock fused music), and Starchaser Network (with Equitant and Victorious; electronic art/rock band). Additionally, he was the drummer/vocalist for Melechesh
Melechesh
Melechesh is a Assyrian-Armenian black metal band that originated in Jerusalem. Ashmedi started the band as a solo project in 1993. In the following year, guitarist Moloch and drummer Lord Curse were added to the line-up...
for six years (1999–2005; although still contributes lyrics and vocals) and has done session work with Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot (band)
Judas Iscariot was an American black metal band. It began in 1992 as the solo-project of Andrew Harris, who performed under the pseudonym Akhenaten ....
, Thornspawn, and Magnus Thorsen. Proscriptor also has his own record label, Tarot Productions.
In May 2007, Prosciptor finally announced the addition of Vastator Terrarum and Aethyris MacKay to the band. In early 2008, Absu announced they had signed with Candlelight Records for their future recordings but will release a 7" EP through Relapse Records. That EP was "Speed N' Spikes", a limited series featuring their first new material in seven years. In March 2008, Vastator Terrarum had left the band but had been replaced by Zawicizuz (formerly of the bands Infernal Oak, Rape Pillage Burn, and Bleed The Son). In October 2008, the band added ex-Panzram member Ezezu on bass and vocals, after completing the recording of their latest, self-titled album, released on February 16 (Europe) / February 24, (USA) 2009 on Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records
Candlelight Records is an independent record label based in Europe founded by former Extreme Noise Terror bassist Lee Barrett, though it has had a division in the United States since January 2001. Candlelight Records specialises in black metal and death metal, having bands such as Emperor,...
.
In September 2009, Zawicizuz left Absu and was replaced by Vis Crom of Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, Woe and XXX Maniak. The band then embarked on a European tour with Pantheon I
Pantheon I
Pantheon I is a extreme metal band from Oslo, Norway, and sharing some current and past members with 1349. They have the particularity to include a Cello artist in their line-up, and are often praised for being unafraid to experiment with their sound, while still keeping the musical ethos of black...
, Razor of Occam and Zoroaster
Zoroaster (band)
Zoroaster is a sludge metal band from Atlanta, Georgia formed in 2003. The original line-up was Brent Anderson on bass and vocals with Will Fiore and Todd Fiore , all of whom had previously been members of Terminal Doom Explosion...
.
In November 2010, Absu announced that they would be doing a six-date U.S. tour with Immortal
Immortal (band)
Immortal is a black metal band from Bergen, Norway, founded in 1990 by current frontman/guitarist Abbath Doom Occulta and former guitarist Demonaz Doom Occulta...
in February 2011 as a three piece as Aethyris MacKay has left to join Pantheon I. After this tour, Absu entered the studio to record their next album, titled 'Abzu' (released in October 2011) and follow up with a tour.
Demos
- Return of the Ancients - (1991)
- Immortal Sorcery - (1991)
- The Temples of Offal - (1992)
- Infinite and Profane Thrones - (1992)
- Promo Tape 1993 - (1993)
Studio Releases
- Barathrum: Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultul Lapidem (V.I.T.R.I.O.L.)Barathrum: Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultul Lapidem (V.I.T.R.I.O.L.)Absu's first album released in 1993, after five demos and a self released VHS tape, by Gothic Records. The original cd was limited to 900 copies. In 1994 was re-released by Osmose records with a different cover artwork and re-released again in 1997 with the original artwork and three bonus live...
- (1993) - The Sun of TipharethThe Sun of TipharethThe Sun of Tiphareth is the second full length studio album by the black metal band Absu. It was released on Osmose Productions in 1995.-Track listing:*All Music By Absu. Lyrics By Proscriptor and Equitant, with additional lyrics by Trent White...
- (1995) - The Third Storm of CythraulThe Third Storm of CythraulThe Third Storm of Cythraul is the third full length studio album by the black metal band Absu. It was released on Osmose Productions in 1997.-Track listing:*All Songs Written & Arranged By Absu, except where noted....
- (1997) - In the Eyes of IoldánachIn the Eyes of IoldánachIn the Eyes of Ioldánach is an EP by black metal band Absu.It was released in 1998 by Osmose Productions. In March of 2009, the EP was re-released with the 2001 album Tara in a digipak.-Credits:*Proscriptor - Drums and Vocals...
[EP] - (1998) - Tara - (2001)
- Mythological Occult Metal: 1991-2001Mythological Occult Metal: 1991-2001Absu's compilation album released in 2005 by Osmose Productions. The vinyl release was limited to 500 copies.- Track listing :Disc 1# "The Gold Torques of Uláid"# "Never Blow Out the Eastern Candle"# "Stone of Destiny [Edit Version]"# "Immortal Sorcery"...
- (2005) - AbsuAbsu (album)Absu is the fifth studio album by black metal band Absu.It was released on February 16, 2009 and February 24, 2009 by Candlelight Records. It is the debut recording for new members Aethyris MacKay and Zawicizuz with additional musical contributions from Vastator Terrarum and original guitarist...
- (2009) - AbzuAbzu (album)Abzu is the sixth studio album by Black metal band Absu to be released in 2011 by Candlelight Records. It features new members Vis Crom on guitar, and Ezezu on bass and vocals - although Ezezu did join the band after the recording of "Absu", this is his first studio recording with Absu.-Track...
- (2011) - Apsu - (TBA)
Additional Releases
- ...And Shineth Unto the Cold Cometh... [7" EP] (1995)
- Gummo (Soundtrack) (Absu performs the song "The Gold Torques Of Ulaid") (1998)
- In The Visions Of Ioldánach [Video] (2000)
- Originators of The Northern Darkness: A Tribute To Mayhem (Absu performs the song "Deathcrush") (2001)
- L'Attaque Du Tyran: Toulouse, Le 28 Avril 1997 [7" EP] (2007)
- Split with Demonical [7" EP] (2007)
- Speed N' Spikes #2 [Split 7" EP with Rumpelstiltskin Grinder] (2008)
Current members
- Proscriptor McGovern (Russley Randell Givens) - Drums & Percussion, Lead Vocals, Mellotron, Lyrics, Arrangements (1992-)
- Ezezu (Paul Williamson) - Bass, Vocals (2008-)
- Vis Crom (Matt Moore) - Guitars (2009-)
Former Members
- Aethyris McKay (Shandy Mckay) - Guitars, Synthesizers (2007–2010)
- Zawicizuz (Geoffrey Sawicky) - Guitars, Keyboards and Backing Vocals (2007–2009)
- Vastator Terrarum - Guitars and Backing Vocals (2007)
- Shaftiel (Mike Kelly) - Guitars and Vocals (1991–2003)
- Equitant Ifernain (Ray Heflin) - Guitars, Bass (1991–2002)
- Kashshapxu (Rad Davis) - Guitars (2001–2003)
- David Athron Mystica (Dave Ward) - Guitars (1992–1993)
- Black Massith (Brian Artwick) - Keyboards, Synth, Sequencing (1992–1993)
- Mezzadurus (Chris Gamble) - Vocals, Bass (1995–2002; Live Session Member)
- Gary Lindholm – Guitars (1991–1992)
- Danny Benbow – Drums (1991–1992)
External links
- ABSU Official Homepage
- ABSU Official Facebook - ABSU Official Facebook Page
- ABSU @ Reverbnation - ABSU Official Reverbnation Page
- ABSU @ Soundcloud - ABSU Official Soundcloud Page
- ABSU @ Bandcamp ABSU Official Bandcamp Page
- Candlelight Records - ABSU's Record Label