"European death metal butchers?” That's how Aborted's official biography describes them and it couldn't be more right on. The band has been around since1995 and Strychnine.213 is their sixth full-length album.

Aborted's sound is raw and primitive, yet advanced. At first, Behemoth came to mind in trying to find a comparison, but Aborted is much different in that they have the ability to transform from brutal blast beat, to mid-tempo riff-heavy metal to all-out death metal. Throw in death metal vocals, high-pitched screams and even some clean vocals, and you have an all around death metal murder machine. Songs are unpredictable and it's hard to tell what they're capable of. When the guitars aren't chugging along at a rabid, headbanging pace, Aborted rips out memorable, melodic solos that few other extreme metal bands can accomplish. The lyrical concept of Strychnine.213 is said to deal with true crime and murder, although other than one clear example, you'll be hard pressed to comprehend anything in the vocal department.

Like Behemoth and The Black Dahlia Murder, Aborted represents a new breed of extreme metal. No longer are bands pigeoned-holed into one set style. There are no boundaries. Since there are no bridges, choruses, real melody or structure, the term “song” doesn't accurately describe music like this anymore. I think compositions or passages would be better descriptions. Strychnine.213 should go down as one of the most brutal, extreme metal releases of 2008. Standouts include “Pestiferous Subterfuge,” “I35” and “A Murmur In Decrepit Wits.”