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An Abstract Illusion - Woe



8.6 | 413 votes |
Release date: 9 September 2022
Style: Melodic death metal, Progressive death metal

Owners:

131 have it
32 want it


01. The Behemoth That Lies Asleep
02. Slaves
03. Tear Down This Holy Mountain
04. Prosperity
05. Blomsterkrans
06. In The Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster
07. This Torment Has No End, Only New Beginnings

The Best Extreme Progressive Metal Album, Biggest Surprise, And The Best Album Artwork Of 2022
Top 20 albums of 2022: 1

Additional info
Released via Willowtip Records
Artwork was done by Adam Burke
Mixing/mastering was done by Robin Leijon

Staff review by
musclassia
Rating:
8.7
This is no illusion, abstract or otherwise: Woe is the real deal.

Read more ››
published 21.09.2022 | Comments (11)

Found in 67 lists
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Comments

Comments: 46   Visited by: 1240 users
01.07.2022 - 19:58
Rating: 9
skeksis25
Expecting this..
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02.07.2022 - 03:34
Rating: 10
Yes! Finally! Their previous album is still on replay from time to time after all these years.
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Album Release day (September 09, 2022)
09.09.2022 - 11:51
Rating: 9
Umideath
An unexpected fuckin' beautiful album. \m/
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My Top 90 Metal Albums Of 2023 - Part 2 >> https://youtu.be/6Yi7zV9Xo58 - Part 1
https://youtu.be/8F0E_CAfmMM
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09.09.2022 - 14:36
Rating: 9
MeatWolf
What a masterpiece of atmospheric prog melodeath. Beautiful melodies, great variety and awe-inspiring dark and dramatic mood. Immense amount of carefully crafted details, six years were definitely put to good use.
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10.09.2022 - 09:34
Rating: 9
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
There are so many highlights on this album such as the incredible guitar solo's like on "Tear Down This Holy Mountain", and the track "In The Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster", which is one of the best songs I've heard this year, it's off the scale in terms of epicness.

There's so many influences and styles being played in this album it's hard to keep up with all that's going on, but the melodies are quite striking throughout, the vocals are great, and the album is structured brilliantly allowing it to flow incredibly well, and the production is absolutely phenomenal.

I won't be surprised to see this win some awards at the end of the year, it deserves a high place in the chart ranking. There's one thing I know for sure, and that's that this is a band with a great future ahead
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10.09.2022 - 13:10
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Only one member still lives in a Norrbotten, other ones located from Boden to Umeå and Luleå to Malmö. Sad , it not well how to say local band anymore. One still live in home town.
Musically is prog rock, prog metal, death metal, prog death metal in one blender. Always has always will be, made for special public who likes such kind a thing.
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I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens.

Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"

I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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11.09.2022 - 00:10
Rating: 9
Uxküll
So glad they are back!
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"Nullum unquam exstitit magnum igenium sine aliqua dementia [there was never great genius without some madness]."

Best of Metal A-Z: http://metalstorm.net/users/lists.php?user_id=158339
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11.09.2022 - 10:09
JoHn Doe
Listened to it yesterday, very good album, nice flow, will need a few listens to sink in properly.
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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11.09.2022 - 12:12
Rating: 9
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
Written by JoHn Doe on 11.09.2022 at 10:09

Listened to it yesterday, very good album, nice flow, will need a few listen to sink in properly.

It only gets better imo
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11.09.2022 - 12:14
JoHn Doe
Written by AndyMetalFreak on 11.09.2022 at 12:12

Written by JoHn Doe on 11.09.2022 at 10:09

Listened to it yesterday, very good album, nice flow, will need a few listen to sink in properly.

It only gets better imo

we'll see...
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I thought the two primary purposes for the internet were cat memes and overreactions.
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12.09.2022 - 13:49
Rating: 9
IronArkadius666
Brilliant. Their EP and debut album were both incredible, and Woe doesn't disappoint the lofty expectations that they've set. On first listen I'd say my favourite songs are Tear Down this Holy Mountain and In the Heavens Above...
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13.09.2022 - 18:06
Rating: 10
Tel3tubby
This is probably the best surprise of the year.
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14.09.2022 - 05:42
Rating: 10
Gothic Metalhead
Pro Introvert
When I heard this album I dropped everything and bought this sucker on vinyl. So emotionally powerful and a lot of brilliant minor melodic moments. All I can say is what a journey...
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17.09.2022 - 04:09
Rating: 9
JayPeaGee
Must say this album took me by surprise. Im completely hypnotise by the track 06. In The Heavens Above, You Will Become A Monster.
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17.09.2022 - 16:30
Nejde
As a Swede I think "Blomsterkrans" (Flower Wreath) is the best song.
If anyone is interested here are the translated lyrics:

Your are born in love and in expectation to carry on change
You lack personality until your breeders sculpt you into who you are
Of all the wisdom and beauty in the world you are limited to narrow minded mindsets
All the choices you make in life are established and planned for your future

Imagine that you even mean something
Think that your existence is more than just an excuse
You are an insignificant second in a minute of a day
Totally meaningless in a picture bigger than your own little spectrum

Think about everything you see with love
For you it's only a blindfold to avoid seeing reality
Play in joy, enjoy the romance an propagate your brood
Anoint yet another generation of worthlessness
To a world of made up happiness
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Liebe ist für alle da.
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20.09.2022 - 11:36
Rating: 9
nonZero
Very good album. The songwriting is highly atmospheric and the production is fantastic. The only thing stopping me giving this a 9 is too few memorable moments. Wilderun have fallen into a similar trap this year - releasing a fantastic album that just lacks something to take away from it.

Still a great album by all means, but not an outstanding one IMO.
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24.09.2022 - 10:01
Rating: 9
DarkWingedSoul
How did i miss their first one ? this is really amazing, beautiful soundscapes on an illusive winter sky...
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01.10.2022 - 09:03
Stormm
Like baby of Be'lakor and Persefone.
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12.10.2022 - 09:09
Rating: 10
24emd
Theory Snob
I was really sceptical about this one because of the high rating, and after a month I finally listened to it, and it is indeed a masterpiece. Deciding between a 9-ish to a 9.5, it's that damn good. And on top of all that, after my first (properly focused) listen I went right back to that start and listened again, that doesn't happen often with me.
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12.10.2022 - 20:37
Rating: 9
Bjamm
Absolutely loving it! It's got a helluva album cover, too! Reminds me of Isaac Newton at times.
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12.10.2022 - 23:34
gavdann
Willowtip have released some amazing records but why does their vinyl and their postage rates have to be so god damned expensive?!
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13.10.2022 - 23:15
Rating: 10
I cannot help it, a 10/10 rating is the least i can do.
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22.10.2022 - 22:40
Rating: 8
cobrapel
Concept One
I am glad these guys got finally the right feedback. Six years ago they delivered a little masterpiece and were totally ignored here
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27.10.2022 - 03:54
Litvin
As for me the first album sounds way better than this one
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27.10.2022 - 04:39
A Real Mönkey
This really is a good album to listen to on a dreary fall day.
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03.11.2022 - 21:28
Rating: 7
Samot
I like it ...... but Overrated album IMHO!
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Um, Dois, Três, Quatro! Yeah! PORRA!!!
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07.11.2022 - 21:28
Rating: 7
Nightmare^
It's...ok. Can't really get the hype around it. You look at the rating/comments and it's like they reinvented the genre or smth.
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12.11.2022 - 10:27
Rating: 9
Hooman
Way above my expectation. Could be the album of the year IMHO.
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21.11.2022 - 03:48
Rating: 9
Pelcu
My gosh.... First listening did nothing, second made me wondering, each another make me flying in other worlds or in space. This is amazing album, music is full of space, full of passages... makes imagination starts to work. Like you are flying or lying listlessly on the top of ocean's waves.... There are aggressive riffs, speed drums, growls mixed with a bit of melodic singing, pianos, violins or whatever it is. Climate of this music is astonishing!
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Don't look for solution - look for EXIT!
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07.12.2022 - 02:27
Rating: 9
tintinb
Lots of Opeth influences. Also loved how heavy the album is.
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Leeches everywhere.
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