Band:	Chaos Inception
Album:	The Abrogation
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	June 2012

01. The Abrogation
02. Phalanx (The Tip Of The Spear)
03. Lunatic Necromancy
04. Pazuzu Eternal
05. Hammer Of Infidel
06. Black Blood Vortex
07. Ancient Ways Prevail
08. The Exterminati
09. Scald Command

Everyone and their dog knows revivalist death metal (that's modernized old school sounding death metal for the cat owners out there) isn't known for its innovation or originality. The band members and the label executives know this just as well, and they also know the purpose of the music is almost purely nostalgia-based.

Remember Deicide's self-titled release? What about Autopsy's first two full-lengths? Death metal classics, much like a great deal of death metal at the time. Fast forward to 2012, and you get Chaos Inception's sophomore release, The Abrogation. Is it instant classic material? Do they blow early Morbid Angel out of the water? Do they make you want to trade your cat in for a dog?

Moving on from needless rhetorical questions - here's what you're in for: a highly melodic traditional death metal album with a good-but-not-too-good production, ripping instruments without the wankery, and beastly but not guttural growls. This is the make-it-or-break-it description, and also the overly hyphenated part of the review. It's not completely revivalist material, however. The modern vibe (mostly a result of the heavy production and blasting drums) is definitely apparent here.

The Abrogation is a tad murky, but still gets the job done, making sure every instrument is audible without anything buried or mixed too high. While the bass doesn't stand out, you can definitely pick up on its crushing riffs, supporting the crisp guitar sound. The crisp edge is all but lost during the blazing solos, but this is far from a negative thing. Rather, the pitched melodies add a sharpness to the overall sound, enhancing the crunchy straightforward riffs.

Describing this beyond what has already been said is somewhat pointless, as the sound has been repeated time and time again with varying degrees of success. The long story short: All you need to know is The Abrogation is a success - a top-quality old-school sounding contemporary death metal release that packs a punch and strokes the beard. Deep, almost audible growls; chunky, chugging riffs; somewhat technical and varied drumming; and an appropriately grimy production make this a must-own for fans of any kind of death metal, although you won't be particularly wowed by anything here.