As connected as I think I am sometimes, I am constantly amazed at not only the number of bands that fly under the radar, but also the number of bands that I just don’t know about. Two months ago, I had never even heard of Sweden’s An Abstract Illusion, having been introduced to them from one of the online music groups I frequent. This was October, and they had just released their third full length, “The Sleeping City,” an album, in the band’s words, containing “atmospheric hymns from the tundra.” To get to the punchline quickly, I thoroughly love this album, and even though I wish I had discovered them sooner, I am so glad I did. They were also recently announced that they would be playing their first ever North American show next year at ProgStorm in Montreal, and I honestly cannot wait to hear these songs live!

An Abstract Illusion excels at their unique blend of atmospheric melodic progressive death metal with blackened edges. The band leverages a synth-heavy approach that gives the tracks an ethereal, almost spacey feel, creating an atmosphere akin to a space-focused FPS RPG (think Mass Effect). Add to that crushing technical death metal, furious black metal riffing, blastbeats, and plenty of melody, all stitched together with progressive fabric. At its heart this is prog, and the band knows how to navigate complex technical passages, raging fury, softer melodies, and transitions that make everything work together, with fabulous dynamic and tempo changes. Vocals range from growls to shrieks to Vola/Ihlo-esque cleans, usually in the same song. And these songs are long. The band isn’t afraid to take their time weaving the soundscape they want, with no song sans an interstitial instrumental being any less than 8 minutes long. This is how a 7-track album becomes an hour of music, and yet it flies by as you are immersed in its heavy beauty, a clear sign of just how great these songs are.

11-minute opus “Blackmurmur” kicks things off by transporting you into space with its dreamy synth opening and polyrhythmic drumming, eventually layering in guitars and taking you on an epic journey. It makes its identity as heavy atmospheric melodic prog, utilizing growled vocals over heavy melodies and silky cleans with fabulous harmonies, with a progressive underbelly that meanders across melodic technical passages. The drumming is phenomenal, a driving force that at times makes you feel as if you are listening to a drum feature with supporting musicians. The synths play a prominent role in capturing the melodies and overall vibe, letting the guitars be the bearer of heavy. The song never truly enters proper extreme metal territory until the final 2 minutes, unleashing a blackened death metal assault that balances the blastbeat fury with incredible atmosphere. This is a brilliant opening track and really gives you a taste of all the band has to offer.

“No Dreams Beyond Empty Horizons” rips your head off with a slower polyrhythmic riff over lightspeed blastbeats, then settles into proggy melodeath with harmonized cleans and brutal growls, exploring a variety of textures along the way. This song has plenty of synths but is much more guitar forward than the opening track, featuring fantastic leadwork and groovy bass, and it has a searing intensity that gives you occasional chances to breathe before pulverizing you again and again. There are gorgeous melodies to be found amidst the intensity, and this song is easily the fastest and heaviest on the album. They pull the rug out from under you in the ending salvo, slowing things way down with a melodic guitar jam feel.

“Like a Geyser Ever Erupting” does a great job matching the feel of the song to the title. I can literally visualize a geyser building up, spewing, calming down, building up, and exploding again, matching the cadence of the various rhythms and tempos utilized. This song is a progressive technical death metal masterpiece, giving me Fallujah vibes, though taking them to the next level. They create a haunting atmosphere with the black metal speed riffing and atmospheric keys, and the drumming is again an explosive force. I love the short almost accapella feel in the middle of the song, breaking the frenetic cadence, before a lovely melodic guitar and keys fueled passage that also features some incredible strings. The layered growls and cleans work really well, adding punchiness to the vocal melodies.

“Frost Flower” floods your ears with atmosphere, then treats you to a Vola-like section that reminds me a lot of the vibes from “We Will Not Disband,” with lush melodies and rich clean vocals. This song takes its time building, hitting its heaviest in the final third, while maintaining a mid-paced vibe that never activates the afterburners. The song has a bombastic feel about it, with its soaring vocal melodies, fabulous strings, great use of dynamics, and a huge ending.

“Emmett” is the album’s longest song, clocking in at over 11 minutes. It starts off slow and melodic, drawing you in, then rips your head off with speedy blastbeats. The song does a great job balancing brutality with melodic guitar-driven prog, titillating your ears with tasty progressions and intracies. The arrangements of each part is phenomenal, with keys, guitars, and bass all playing key roles, and the drumming continues to show off in various ways regardless of the speed. After encompassing you in its progtastic loom, it finishes things out in crushing fashion.

“Silverfields” is a synth-driven dreamy instrumental that, much like the intro to “Blackmurmur,” feels lifted from a space opera video game. It builds to the final third, layering in guitars and drums, before ending in dreamlike fashion and prepping you for the epic closing title track. You get a heavy dose of atmospheric progressive death metal, with melodic post rock, guitar-driven prog, moody piano and strings, and more sprinkled throughout. As much as I may sound like a broken record, the drumming never ceases to impress me, a constant fixture that ebbs and flows to the needs of the song while always maintaining a technical edge. This song easily features some of the best guitar leadwork on the album, with multiple extended solos that act as glue between other passages. After a massive build, the song closes out with a somber piano, putting the finishing touches on an incredible album.

I can’t believe I didn’t know who this band was 2 months ago, as I am now in love. This is an incredible album, and you should absolutely listen to this extreme prog metal masterpiece.

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