Nightfly French extreme metal band Svart Crown have been releasing solid blackened death metal since their debut album Ages Of Decay back in 2008. All three of their previous albums contained plenty of atmospheric and oppressive death metal and with Abreaction they’ve made another very good addition to their back catalogue. Certainly as good as any of their other releases and quite possibly their best yet.

Golden Sacrament kicks things off but is not really representative of what’s to follow with its slow doomy opening riff. It’s not bad but is somewhat subdued compared with what follows and the weakest track on the album. Carcosa is much more representative of what you’re in for here with its dissonant chord structure over complex rhythm’s that twist and turn and fortunately they have the chops to pull it off effectively. I’m reminded of a more blackened version of Immolation with some Behemoth thrown in. Brooding atmospheric parts are well placed at regular intervals perfectly demonstrated on The Pact: To The Devil His Due before things return to more intense realms. There’s plenty of faster death metal out there but there’s no denying the intensity on show with things getting more so as the album progresses’. That’s not to say that pummelling blastbeats are abscent here but these guys are clearly smart enough to realise that doctoring them with slower brooding sections and inventive rhythmic variation only heightens the intensity.

Abreaction has moments where it’s better than anything in the bands past but the second half is where it’s at its most captivating. A little more evenness and we could have had an absolute classic but as things stand it’s still a very impressive piece of work.