Band:	Abstract Rapture
Album:	Democadencia
Style:	Death metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	March 2008

01. Democadencia
02. Noxious Utopia
03. The Void
04. Primal Sin Crisis
05. Rejections
06. Fracture
07. Poisoned Love
08. From Dust To Nowhere
09. Carpe Noctem
10. Mental Driftwood
11. Observations In A Mirror (Through The Eyes Of An Alcoholic)

Abstract Rapture are hailing from Luxembourg. They got formed in 2001, won the Wacken Metal battle in 2007, and finally released Democadencia, their first album, the following year.

A warning first. Democadencia starts with nu style riffing, vocals & bass. Thankfully it doesn't last, as the song quickly gets more thrashy, so don't throw this album away just because of this minute or so...
But how does the rest sounds like? 'Modern Thrash', as they define themselves, sounds like, well, thrash, with quite a few influences also coming from the metalcore/Gothenburg scene (as can be heard with The Void's chorus). Classical influences are more along the lines of Pantera, Machine Head or Sepultura (the beginning of Mental Driftwood sounds just like the song Attitude).

The songs are catchy and good, aggressive and groovy at times. On the minus side, the album is a bit repetitive in the long run, but the latest songs add more variety. Just like the mid-tempo Poisoned Love, or Rejection with its almost death metal parts, sounding like an angrier, more aggressive Soilwork.

The musicianship? No problem, the guys are good and know what they do; some solos are really great (Primal Sin Crisis), and the rythmics are powerful. The singer sounds like a mix between Michael Bogballe (ex-Mnemic), Tony Jelenkovitch (ex-Transport League, C-187) and ... Jonathan Davis (Korn). Sure, the reference to the leader of the nu metal scene is not going to please many, but what the hell, Drittt has a really good vocal range and he knows damn well how to use it.
The production is really good and powerful, perfect. In fact, it's too perfect, as it is way too clean and clinical, and finally gives a 'lifeless' feeling.

To conclude, it's a good, but not that memorable album; I can't say anything really bad about it, especially about a band that does not follow the bandwagon of retro-thrash. A good pick for Mnemic fans, until they break in the metal world at large by writing a really killer song (I'm sure they can do it)!