Austria’s black metal veterans, ABIGOR, return to the scene with their comeback album in Fractal Possession. In many ways, Fractal Possession sounds like a rebirth. The most striking difference is how the band have adopted some very Norwegian sounds such as latter day DODHEIMSGARD, THORNS, MAYHEM, and SATYRICON. Though that old ABIGOR sound is still present, the band have taken a few steps forward in their sound. There are numerous samples, effects, and other synthesized parts in the style of DODHEIMSGARD and THORNS throughout the album giving it a futuristic, yet modern approach. Fractal Possession contains perhaps the band’s best riffing yet, incorporating plenty of variation. However, as the album progresses, something gets lost along the way. The songs lose momentum and start bleeding into each other. Things start becoming too mechanical and lose its humanity to a certain extent. Perhaps, this issue can be resolved by listening to the album as individual tracks instead of as one continuous sitting. While Fractal Possession doesn’t quite achieve the lofty goals that it aspires to, it’s still a positive start to the band’s second life. (End All Life Productions)