February 1, 2008

Saviours

Into Abaddon

8 / 10 They wouldn’t want you to know this, but Saviours are actually four of the sweetest human beings in metal today. They’re like four inked-up Care Bears who smoke lots and write songs “about the unending abyss of the human mind”. So to that end their second album consists of seven stoner-prog-black metal songs, each six minutes apiece and boasting about 752 guitar solos. They hone terror to a fine science even if ‘Into Abaddon’ is too clinical at times; ‘Mystichasm’ and ‘Narcotic Sea’ veer towards the wrong side of meandering, while Lemmy-alike vocalist Austin Barber is somewhat underused. ‘Firewake Angel’ and ‘Raging Embers’ fare better, where the Messerschmitt drumming and car-chase guitars work towards an unholy union between Iron Maiden and Black Flag. Be warned though – stare into Saviours’ abyss and it’s bound to stare right back at you.

Mike Sterry

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