Album Review: Aborted - 'Coronary Reconstruction (EP)'

There’s nothing vague when it comes to Belgium’s Aborted. It is as black and white as it comes – there is no grey areas, no ambiguity, no sense of pending confusion. The band knows what they like stylistically and execute it accordingly, with brutal and abrasive precision. New EP ‘Coronary Reconstruction’ is consistent with this notion.

This EP, one could argue is necessary for Aborted. ‘Coronary Reconstruction’ essentially serves as a trial or dress rehearsal of sorts. With front man Sven de Caluwé the only surviving member from 2008’s ‘Strychnine.213’ a drastic line-up change was certainly inevitable, and as a consequence a changing of musical ideas. Enter Soilwork drummer Dirk Verbeuren and Abigail Williams’s vocalist/guitarist Ken Sorceron (among others) to the fold.

To put ‘Coronary Reconstruction’ into a relatable context we can understand is to draw on a sporting analogy. That is to say, this EP is like the final warm up before running out onto the field. It fills in the middle ground between ‘Strychnine’ and the band’s next studio album. What the EP achieves is giving us an insight into where the Aborted sound is heading.

Opening and title track ‘Coronary Reconstruction’ is classic Aborted – a brief interlude is quickly replaced by fast, crushing down-tuned riffs and the abundance of European inspired death metal. Verbeuren ditches the ‘melodic’ from the ‘melodic death metal’ tag his main musical endeavour Soilwork cultivates and instead focuses on straight up heavy metal – complete with rapid blast beats and pounding double kick work.

‘Grime’ probably asserts itself as the EP’s strongest moment. Moreover, the band’s cover of Entombed’s ‘Left Hand Path’ is worth a listen.

EP’s are inherently brief affairs, which are short, sharp and exact with not much consideration for deep substance. ‘Coronary Reconstruction’ is no different. An enjoyable listen – nothing more, nothing less.

Some have analysed and questioned the subtle ‘core’ element slowly creeping into Aborted’s sound. Granted, there is a gradual shift away from the band’s original albums, namely ‘Goremageddon’, but this is an inevitable musical trend with any band from any genre. There is comfort though upon an initial listen in realising the music is still as heavy as ever, the lyrics malevolent and the cover art still as confronting, as it is horror inspired.

1. Coronary Reconstruction

2. From a Tepid Whiff

3. Grime

4. A Cadaverous Dissertation

5. Left Hand Path (Entombed cover)