Review by Felix on October 9, 2023.

First of all, a note on my own behalf. I have nothing to reproach myself for, because I gave this album many chances. Believe me, my original intention was to fall in love with “Totschläger (A Saintslayer’s Songbook)”. Why? Well, Abigor once belonged to the most promising black metal pioneers. Furthermore, they were part of the legendary Austrian Black Metal Syndicate and I love this kind of secret societies. “Verwüstung…” and “Orkblut…” appeared as the first steps into a golden (or black metallic) future. But things turned out differently and contrary to my hope, “Totschläger” is not a return to old strength.

Forget the overlong intro with piano tones, “Gomorrha Rising – Nightside Rebellion” has an accessible structure and a more or less conventional approach. After listening to it roughly 666 times, I more or less like the opener. But already the next, multi-layered number shows the inner conflict of the band. I do not know what this song wants to stand for. Dissonant tones and ill-defined, nasty guitar lines – every member seems to play its own song here. “Orkblut (Sieg oder Tod)” makes it easier for me, it wants to be a disgusting repulsive creature that scares the hell out of every mainstream music consumer. But the guitar lines are mediocre, the feeble blast beats drown in the nerve-shattering, noisy production and the shortly occurring triumphant atmosphere remains a quickly vanished highlight.

This is not to say that the entire work sucks. Some moments are exciting. My personal analysis is that Abigor want to be unique, that’s why they throw at least 667 ideas into each and every song, but ironically they have their best form whenever they deliver a more or less conservative approach. The riff of “The Saint of Murder” offers both depth and heaviness. The crooked, polyphonic and pseudo-melodic singing in the middle of the piece costs some sympathy. Anyway, under the bottom line, this track was the first one I began to like (already after 333 spins). The track is okay, no more, no less. But let me mention another positive detail. Abigor have courage and conviction. One cannot create this form of extravagant infernal sounds without having sold your soul to Satan. Abigor and, for example, Atrocity lie alphabetically in close proximity, but spiritually there are lightyears between the Austrian and the fickle formation from my homeland.

What I really miss is a coherent flow of the songs. Worse still, sometimes I do not have the feeling of listening to songs at all. Broad parts of the material seem to be a randomly occurring part of a monstrous cacophony. Then, out of the blue, comes a calm segment – but mostly it is not very well connected with the rest of the song. If I was forced to characterize the majority of the songs, I would do it this way: confusing metallic parts, calm intermezzos, confusing metallic parts again. By the way, the barbaric voice contributes to the confusion as well, because it adds a further element to the chaos. Maybe I am only an easy-listening black metal fan, or, in other words, no true supporter of the genre at all. But forgive me, I am not able to decode pieces like the very memorably titled “La plus longue nuit de diable – Guidng the Nameless”. Frankly, I doubt that a code for this song exists at all.

Our highly appreciated reviewer Michael quoted me in his review “Abigor makes music for schizophrenics“. This is still my opinion, although their music has a small dose of charm for non-schizophrenics as well. Nevertheless, I do not like this over-ambitious melange of noisy and / or sick elements. Abigor express agony and torture in a painfully consequent manner. This would be okay with an attractive musical environment, but exactly this is missing here. Anyway, if you want to take the challenge – Abigor’s “Totschläger” is awaiting you. I am curious if you will find your way out again of this jungle of explosive outbursts, blastbeats, odd and crooked guitar lines, strange intermezzos, solos that do whatever they want and a variable lead singer who knows how it feels to be possessed by Lucifer.

Rating: 4.5 out of 10

Review by Michael on December 14, 2020.

Abigor actually released a new album secretly, without me noticing anything about it. This year, Inquisition and Beherit have already managed to do that (although I would have been better off not knowing about "Boredom Lives" either). Very strange, I think I'm getting old.....

Well then, before I also forget to review the CD, I'd better get started. The cover is very nobly designed and shows the young Cain with a crown of thorns, who is in a flaming inferno. Fits quite well to the title Manslayer (A Saintslayer's Songbook), because that's what he was with his little brother. And according to the bible also the first murderer of mankind. I actually thought that the cover was designed by Eliran Kantor, but on inquiry the band informed me that it was "only" designed by an acquaintance of the band who paints and restores frescoes.

Musically it remains with the Abigor-typical elements in the first three songs. The first track ('Gomorrah Rising') starts after a short orchestral prelude with a hateful scream and raging guitars and drums. However, Abigor again ensure through many breaks and tempo changes that the song is very varied throughout and thus surprises again and again. In the further course of the disc I was reminded again and again of Deathspell Omega, because Abigor also sometimes uses these dissonant sounds (for example at the beginning of 'Silent Towers, Screaming Tombs'). What I had to smile about was the beginning of 'Orkblut (Sieg oder Tod)', which sounds like a boss battle melody from Final Fantasy, but then the song rises to a real inferno. Sometimes the characteristics of the old Abigor outputs (especially the first three albums) appear in the songs, be it the acoustic passages with flute or also from the guitar riffs and the drums. Also the slightly disturbing song structures they used on their newer albums are used again and again, which thus results in the album becoming their strongest so far in my opinion. Abigor creates a rather oppressive atmosphere that rarely gives you a sense of hope or warmth. Only 'La Plus Longue Nuit Du Diable - Guiding the Nameless' germinates a little hope at the beginning like a small ugly plant (most likely a cactus), which, however, by the vicious growling its leaves or needles directly loses again and at the latest when Silenius roars "Destruction...!" is torn from the ground. The beginning reminds me quite a bit of King Diamond, maybe it's because of the spinet or the somewhat macabre atmosphere it creates. The penultimate track 'Flood of Wrath' often brings back memories of old Emperor, on one hand by the use of keyboards and on the other hand by the vocals, which remind me a bit of Ihsahn.

In the further course Abigor still provides for two thick surprises. On one hand 'Tartaros Tides' sounds quite punky and I somehow have the feeling to have heard it somewhere before. Anyway, the song already sounds a bit like a party (sorry if that sounds inappropriate) but pretty cool in any case! Definitely the catchiest song on the album. 'Terrorkommando Eligos' clears pretty much everything and everyone out of the way and paves its way into the brain of the inclined listener as a crowning conclusion and without mercy. An absolute killer that crashes through a little more than 6 minutes.

My dear colleague Felix, who as you know also writes for MetalBite and Metal Archives, is of the opinion that Abigor makes music for schizophrenics. I definitely don't think so! And neither do I!!

So I have to state, after I already chose the new Sorcier des Glaces as the best black metal album of the year, that Abigor is at least on the same strong level. They have written an incredibly intense album that does not let go in the least and that will probably be heard by me many times in the coming weeks and months.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Vanass on May 17, 2020.

Anyone blessed with the slightest gift of an interest in today's growing heavy hardcore scene will surely recognize Xibalba as one of the already established bands with a solid release catalog. Talking about such a giant, it's for sure that you don't have to suffer a lack of professionalism in their musicianship when you listen to their stuff.

As one of the biggest enemies of intros and as someone who would like to start a petition to ban them permanently, I definitely can't say that I was impressed by the synth intro, which resembled the atmosphere of the horror movies of the 80s. It was just annoying, and I can't really explain what such a piece of kitschy noise does on a record so deeply rooted in punk. Fortunately, it doesn't take more than twenty seconds before the sonic attack of the first track 'La Injusticia' begins.

The good news is that there is a decent layer of doom metal to be found here. Admittedly, metallic hardcore is not really known for its melodies for obvious reasons... there aren't any. The doomy vibes build up an atmosphere which is a pretty good way to make the whole album sound darker and more sinister, adding extra quality to the dominant energy- and aggression-driven sound. The vocals are barely understandable, very raw, and are somehow in the midfield in terms of power and vocal range. Although I'm almost one hundred percent sure that if I had heard them outside of this musical context they would come in and out through my ears like shit, the simple fact that they fit the music completely makes the whole experience quite enjoyable.

I can't get around the fact that this album is just primitively said quite heavy. The riffs vary mostly from slow, doomy parts to death metal riffs in medium tempo with occasional drifting to even faster tempos. Low tuned guitars and absolutely successful cooperation with the drums seem to be the formula of these guys. You can hear their best on the rather punky riffs, whereas drummer Jason Runes does an incredible job with his perfect timing and a quite pleasant fast rhythm. The elements that are associated with hardcore are absolutely masterly executed and are definitely the more pleasant side of this release.

Despite the fact that the technical execution is almost perfect, there is one big problem. The guys tried their best to create something new from track to track, and in the end, they succeeded, but the doomy elements, which surely are a nice element of the whole from time to time, come at the expense of a strong reduction of the pacing, which made the whole thing quite forgettable at some points. There are tracks like 'Saka', in which nothing interesting happens for almost two minutes, and this isn't just an isolated case. This could have been a flawless release, but the lack of ideas at certain points cannot be ignored and it strongly disturbs the whole listening experience.

Nevertheless, this is still an above-average release with some highlights like the groovy punk parts. I would definitely recommend getting this album or at least checking out the tracks 'La Injusticia' and 'El Abismo II'. And now stop wasting your time with trivial things like reading and listen to some metal.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10