Album Review: "Coronary Reconstruction" by Aborted

 

Aborted have risen in the ranks of technical death metal very quickly, becoming one of the most prolific bands in the genre during the past decade. With the recent additions of drummer Dirk Verbeuren and guitarist Ken Sorceron, Aborted has almost become a supergroup of sorts, and their recent tour with Carcass and Suffocation showcased just how well the band's new lineup works. The recording debut of this new lineup, the Coronary Reconstruction EP, is another testament to the high caliber of this band. It truly captures the mix of technical death metal and goregrind that the band's founder, vocalist Sven de Caluwé, has envisioned since the band's inception.

The opening chords of the title track show just how furious Aborted's onslaught can be, with machine-gun double bass lines beginning immediately and hardly ever ceasing until the end of the last track. The technicality of the drumming is something that only an elite drummer like Verbeuren could achieve, and he uses his full skill set throughout each song. The guitar solos add a lot to the band's sound, giving it more diversity and range. Aborted has used sampled elements in the past as intros and outros for their songs, and the sampling on this EP is just as well executed as in the past, save for the flatulence at the end of "From a Tepid Whiff". Their cover of Entombed's "Left Hand Path" is very well performed, revealing that the band is capable of expanding their sound while still maintaining their core characteristics. This cover is almost as well done as their cover of Pantera's "Slaughtered" from the album Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture.

Coronary Reconstruction is a good example of Aborted's sound, and should tide fans over until their next album. However, with 2008's Strychnine.213 still fresh on the shelves and the band's intense touring schedule, that might not occur for awhile. So fans should check out this EP for an example of just how good the new Aborted lineup is. The Entombed cover alone makes this EP worth the purchase price.

Score: 7 out of 10

Track Listing

1. Coronary Reconstruction
2. From a Tepid Whiff
3. Grime
4. A Cadaverous Dissertation
5. Left Hand Path

Album Personnel

Sven de Caluwé - Vocals
Eran Segal - Guitar
Ken Sorceron - Guitar
Cole Martinez - Bass guitar
Dirk Verbeuren - Drums