One those niche bands that have never been fond of staying in place, Italian industrial metal titans Aborym are back with another strange head trip in the form of their sixth album, Dirty. It appears that their halcyon black metal ideals are a total thing of the past, even with the likes of one Bard Faust (ex-Emperor) now fully entrenched as the band’s drummer. While it would be a reach for the Emperor sticksman to inject some old black metal fun into the band’s sound, it’s clear Aborym are on an entirely different – and alien – plane.
Samples and keyboards are in spades on Dirty, much more than guitars. In fact, if you’re not digging for them, the guitars are a total afterthought. Mainman Malfeitor Fabban has coated the album in swaths of deadening synths, some of which get a little techno (“Irreversible Cross”) and a very much futuristic (the title track, “Raped by Daddy”). Through it all, there’s much coherence amidst the industrial and quirky histrionics. It comes through in top form on “The Factory of Death,” where Fabban spits some legit black metal vox while Faust blasts away. Like we were saying before – it’s not black metal, but it sure is black…and ugly.
Many have derailed industrial-anything in metal, but the small segment of acts that use the tools of the trade wisely are able to generate some impact. Count Aborym in that list. Dirty is far removed from their hellacious Kali Yuga Bizarre debut, and the subsequent critical smash Fire Walk With Us, yet there’s plenty to consume here. It’s not easy stuff, nor should it be. Aborym have come to master being quirky without scaring off people.