Review by Tomek on November 22, 2016.

Being in charge of editing and cleaning up the interview we had with Barus was my first encounter with the band. I haven’t heard the music yet back then, but just reading about the processes and seeing how involved they are made me very interested in what they have to offer. Time has passed and now having the EP in physical form in my hands and having listened to it numerous times, I figured it’s time to let more people know about Barus from France.

EP has only four songs on it and even though it seems like it isn’t much, there is so much going on that it overwhelms at first. Barus comes at you with massive wall of sounds letting know from the first riffs that they don’t take prisoners. Speed intertwined with groove, doom metal parts changing into technical riffing then to introduce post metal elements just to change into relentless pounding. To top off that melting pot we have vocals ranging from deep guttural growl to black metal shrieks, spoken passages and maniacal screams and even some actual clean singing.

Albums with such variation are hard to come by and if you can find one that is also recorded well – it’s a real treat. Finding out, listening and re-listening to all the levels that this album possesses was like an experiment that simultaneously torments you and gives you extreme pleasure to bring you to the end only if you are willing to give yourself as an offering. Barus says that the music they play is death metal but there is way more to what those two words mean when it comes to what they delivered.

Managing to mix the styles so effortlessly and keeping it interesting is a very strong start of a very promising beginning. It may take more than few spins for some (I know it did for me) but once it clicks and all the levels will open I can promise you that this little EP will not get out of your mind and your player for a long time. Experience it yourselves.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by JD on January 15, 2012.

There always is a top dog, no matter what job or style of music you do, its just the way it works. In the Black Metal, it is no different and there is one that stands alone. Venom may be the classic figurehead in BM, not to mention the true innovators, but right now it is American Satanic warriors Abigail Williams who leads the bloodthirsty pack.

Symphonic to a point yet so inherently stark, haunting and raw in its approach, Abigail Williams has taken charge of the BM movement worldwide with talent and unbridled satanic venom. Combining their previous style into their newer style of bare boned BM it is that step forward in there development that have made them in a class all of themselves. Powerful and very blatant they are the best of what the genre has to offer and "Becoming" is the soundtrack for it.

With six monster songs offered up, this is a album that has balance and power in perfect sync. My favorite track is the haunting and illustrious epic of 'Beyond The Veil'. At seventeen and a half minutes, the song does not comes up being drawn out and boring as some do but this is a piece of epic music that does tell a very macabre story. That ebbs and flows as the listener gets into the story and propels you into that evil that lurks waiting for the unwary. From the haunting start to the powerful movements that leap out at you at every turn it is truly a perfect epic.

Say what you will about Black Metal and Abigail Williams, this album showcases both of the genre and band each in a new light. It shows how the whole BM scene has got this incredible collection of extraordinary visionaries and mind-blowing musicians that are putting out music that is simply as brilliant as it is dark and foreboding.

This is BM’s finest hour.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 10
Production: 9
Originality: 9
Overall: 10

Rating: 9.4 out of 10