“Tara” starts with a bagpipe intro but just when you’re about to take out the CD and check if you mistakenly put in one of your numerous folk CDs, all hell breaks loose! Once again, ABSU are taking no prisoners. Sometimes you spot slight hints of SLAYER in one riff or another, but that’s okay – on CD SLAYER are long dead and ABSU surely are not! Apart from that, Frank pointed out the fabulous drummer and as our editor is not really focused on drummers at all, there had to be something about it – and it’s true! That guy is not only fast and precise, he does a lot of breath taking fills others would be proud of! The track ‘Stone Of Destiny’ also features some cool clean, yet sick vocals – very cool! Many guest musicians on “Tara” as well: from MELECHESH, MERCYFUL FATE, RIGOR MORTIS and others. But this doesn’t tell much about the record itself, a CD can feature cool riffs and excellent musicians and still suck. Why should one buy “Tara”? Apart from ABSU’s status, this album satisfies both the longing of many Black Metal fans for pure rage as well as a talent for composing well structured, longer songs that stay interesting. No cheap keyboards on here as well. Finally, according to the record company, “Tara” is meant to be a concept album “about their wars, deities, metastasis, barbarism, methods of knighthood, craftsmanship in liquefying metal and stone – their rise to the knoll of High Kingship”. Whatever this means. Maybe an interview can help explaining this. What can you learn from this review? The new ABSU album is absolutely worth purchasing – and for the vinyl freaks among you: there will be an LP out, limited to 1000 copies as well.