ILLUMINATE THE PATH

"Illuminate The Path" is the debut full-length studio album by Swedish progressive death metal act An Abstract Illusion. The album was independently released in July 2016. It follows the release of the August 2014 "Atonement Is Nigh" EP. An Abstract Illusion are down to a trio on "Illuminate The Path" and only lead vocalist/drummer Christian Bergl'nn, keyboard player/vocalist Robert Stenvall, and guitarist/bassist Karl Westerlund remain from the lineup who recorded the "Atonement Is Nigh" EP.

Stylistically the material on the 8 tracks, 69:42 minutes long album continues the atmospheric/progressive death metal style of the preceding EP. The keyboards are still very dominant in the soundscape but the growling and clean vocals also add to the sound when they appear. The guitars, bass, and drums more seldom take the frontseat and often function as backing to the keyboards and the vocals. There are exceptions though and it's not that you can't find strong riffs, beatiful leads- and harmonies, and powerful drumming on the album, but those instruments just aren't the focus of the music. Piano runs and epic and darkly symphonic keyboard atmospheres make "Illuminate The Path" a layered, busy, and massive listen. When you discuss progressive death metal it's always Opeth which comes up first, but An Abstract Illusion sounds only very little like Opeth. Instead I'd look towards the Danes in Iotunn but add more keyboards and a less extreme edge.

Most tracks are long and the album is a continuously adventurous listen. Three tracks exceed 10 minutes in length, "Skeletons of Light" being the longest featuring a 16:20 minutes long playing time. The quality is high for the duration of the album and as "Illuminate The Path" features high level musical performances, and a clear, professional, and detailed sound production it's upon conclusion a high quality debut album from An Abstract Illusion. It's maybe a bit too polished and lacks some bite/rawness, but if you enjoy atmospheric/melodic progressive death metal in the more polished (less brutal and gritty) end of the scale, "Illuminate The Path" could be right down your alley. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).