Having successfully completed their ambitious trilogy last year, the time was ripe for Ad Infinitum to change things up a bit for their latest album, Abyss. Jettisoning some of the more symphonic aspects of the band and leaning into a more modern direction seems like a logical jump for the band. After all, Melissa Bonny’s vocals offered plenty of dynamic to work with and the band has continually expanded as they went through their 3-part Chapter releases. That said, it comes with no hesitation that the band’s continued shift on Abyss gives them their most powerful performance to date.
Abyss starts things off wisely with “My Halo,” a song that opens with Bonny’s serene singing atop of some electronic soundscapes that lead into some heavier grooves. The elegant chorus is effectively subtle, eschewing the expected ‘big pop’ sound for something more melodic and almost proggy. Of course, the song bears its fangs before it ends, doubling down on the heavy riffs and Bonny’s screams. “Follow Me Down” instantly grabs with it’s hooks built upon progressive, downtuned riffage and playful, background-augmenting synths. The chorus here escalates the feelings into something that feels nothing short of beautiful and spellbinding, particularly the blurring of the cleans and growled vocals. “Euphoria” is an aptly-titled track that does push the melodic side more, into some pop-ish territory with it’s hypnotic riffing layered around Bonny’s soaring vocals. But those seeking more teeth should check out “Parasite,” which sees some of the most effective growls on the album and churning guitarwork juxtaposed with an ear-worming chorus and surprisingly pretty solo.
Certainly something that has yielded the group some benefits is how entirely cinematic they can sound without succumbing to the modern and symphonic genres. A number of the choruses are all but spine-tingling (“Anthem for the Broken” and the aforementioned “Follow Me Down”) but they swerve into different directions. Likewise, the usage of electronics help to push the band into new territory. “Dead End” closes the album in almost dance mode with it’s rolling bass and flirty keys. “The One You’ll Hold On To” has a dose of industrial and techno flavors when paired with the almost mechanical riffing. Then “Outer Space” feels appropriately sci-fi given the combination of cinematic soundscapes and the instrumentation that moves between exploratory and punchy.
As Ad Infinitum always has done, they continue to excel due to a willingness to take risks in sonic territory while making sure equal spotlight is given to the instrumentation instead of simply allowing the charismatic Bonny to otherwise steal the show with her rightly impressive vocals. Abyss sees them take their biggest jump yet, and it really pays off for them in dividends. This is an album that can stand out without having to sit down and classify subgenre allegiance. It’s heavy, it soars with melody, and it’ll leave a lasting impression.