Album Review: Ad Infinitum - Abyss

No band sets out wanting to fall into the category of AC/DC or Motorhead where even their most hardcore fans admit every album is pretty much identical. It's one thing to have an identity, and another to have a static identity, and the latter can only work once you have a fan-base large enough to sustain you for the rest of your career. For growing bands, you need to keep people invested, which means doing things that are slightly different, which means doing things that catch us off-guard.

Ad Infinitum had been doing that by sharpening their pop hooks on each album of their three-part cycle, which culminated in last year's nearly flawless "Chapter III". They had finally mastered their craft, writing songs that were modern metal on one level, and melodic joy on another. Combined with Melissa Bonny's immense vocal talent, Ad Infinitum were absolutely one of the few shining stars on the metal horizon.

That's what makes the shift to "Abyss" so jarring. Rather than building on what the previous record did so well, this feels like a jump into a completely different world. The band's penchant for hooks is still there, but the way we get to them is very different, and a change I can't say is for the better. Whereas they were playing a modern sounding version of melodic metal before, they have gone headlong into the depths of modern metal this time.

That means Melissa unleashes more growling vocals, and songs like "Surrender" add in electronics and breakdowns. There is more of a 'core' approach to these songs, which I don't think works on two different levels. There is obviously the level where I simply don't find the growling sections to be nearly as memorable as when Melissa is using her voice in its more natural state. There is also the level where the song construction feels contrived in trying to shoe-horn some of these new sounds into the equation. There is less flow to how the songs move from verses to choruses, and the disjointed nature is a hallmark of modern metal, but it doesn't play well for those of us who are old enough to still eschew playlist listening.

As I said, the album's hooks are still wonderful. The band has been getting better on that front with each album, and they remain at the top of their game in that regard. There are choruses I can hear the crowds at festivals headbanging in time to, screaming the words as a sweaty mass that reminds us how music connects us. I'm not as sure the whole of that horde will enjoy the time between the cathartic moments quite as much.

The dive into modernity is also felt when looking at the track listing. With the majority of these ten songs clocking in at less than four minutes, that means this record is barely over 35 minutes long, which is becoming more common, but feels too short. Honestly, given how quickly this record is arriving after "Chapter III", it almost feels as if the band didn't think they needed to provide us with more of a full album experience. Maybe that's true, and I know my listening tendencies don't mesh with how much of their audience experiences music anymore, but I can only give me own impression. I would have rather waited until the start of next year for the record, if it meant they could write two more quality songs to flesh things out a bit more.

Last time around, I was raving about how Ad Infinitum had finally lived up to the promise I heard in them. I was optimistic about the future, which is a rare thing for me to admit. Now that the future has set in so quickly, my optimism was not entirely a mistake, but at least an overshoot. Ad Infinitum still has all the talent and ability to be great, but if they are shifting their focus, they need to hone the way they work in this style just like they did their more melodic version. Maybe they'll get there, maybe they won't. All I know is that this record, despite its good qualities, feels like a disappointment when I consider where I thought they were going.

"Abyss" is by no means its namesake, but this new chapter isn't stopping me from putting down the book.