Abjection Ritual – Futility Rites

Futility Rites

This is the third album of tortuous cacophony released by Abjection Ritual since July of 2014. It’s tempting to say that, of the three, Futility Rites might be the least interesting, but there is a lot of subtle stuff going on here. There is an intense amount of layering and tempo control that gives the record some richness. Slowly developing atmospheres create a stage for foreground noise and vocals dressed in sadistically designed effects-envelopes. There is much unease, and it’s a challenge to keep listening and maintain the experience. The higher-pitched metal-shredding tones come in measured doses, nearly stealing the show, but all the real texture is in middle and lower ranges where there resides an assortment of sick ambience. The shrieks and synths are fine enough for creating a hate-fueled mood—even occasionally a pleasure to listen to for the casual nihilist—but with a deeper listen, one might wonder if we could do away with the vitriol for a moment so that we might enjoy the low-end filth that forms its foundation.

Said another way, Futility Rites is a forty-nine minute endurance test suitable enough for fans of the death industrial genre. There are some flaws in the recording, though. Some of the samples seemed to be given so much importance that they took focus away from what was going on behind them. They also could have been processed to match Abjection Ritual’s gritty sound, though the overall tone of Futility Rites takes on just a whiff of tedium. And no, the irony is not missed. When it comes to “difficult listening,” one might assume that what is traditionally seen as a bad trait can become good, or that flaws are welcomed features. On Futility Rites, it’s just not so. Dysphonic genres such as death industrial require as much craftsmanship as any other creative endeavor.

Abjection Ritual

The man behind Abjection Ritual understands this. There are a few interviews available for the project which spotlight him as an intelligent, thoughtful person. Of the project’s three current releases, the self-titled debut album is exceptional. The second album, Psychiatric Failures, is also strong. The quality of these first two releases is reason enough to expect a bit more from the artist. Futility Rites is not a bad recording, only imperfect and perhaps not the best entry point to find a solid appreciation for the project. All of this is summed up visually in the cover-art that accompanies the release. Futility Rites‘ cover art is drastically different from its predecessors, using a black-and-white photocopy aesthetic that is unashamedly reminiscent of so many vintage punk-rock seven-inches. The music itself is of course not so drastic a departure, but it does veer off the path that Abjection Ritual had set off on with previous efforts.

Hopefully Abjection Ritual will continue to release new music as it’s likely that later works will at least equal the atmospheric level of Futility Rites and even possibly climb to the new heights for the project. Besides, it’s entirely possible that, over time, this recording might turn out to be a sleeper, becoming interesting in ways that are not obvious in its current context.

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Track List:

01) Aversor Barren
02) Objects of Wrath
03) Scum Immersion
04) Thrust in Thy Sickle and Reap
05) Entropic Embrace
06) Futility Rites
07) Tabernacle of Teeth and Tongues

Rating: 7.75/10
Written by: Matthew Carey
Label: Malignant Records (United States) / TumorCD89 / CD
Death Industrial