Abyssal Vacuumbegan as a solo project of French musician Sébastien Besson that took on a more cavernous and dissonant sound compared to some of his other bands (Dyslumn, Ominous Shrine, Bacchus). Over the course of five years Abyssal Vacuum released four EP’s and began to expand its lineup to include other contributors, which also transformed the sound on each one. 2021’2 MMXX still retained a rawer, cavernous sound but the songwriting was more dynamic, moving between haunting atmosphere and denser, bottom-heavy riffs. Four years later the group has returned with a self-titled full length that twists things further, offering a bit more clarity to the production while retaining that dense and haunting sound. Blurring the lines between more methodical and slow burning black metal and its faster atmospheric counterparts, this album has some incredible peaks that will stick with listeners for some time.
The band’s earlier material had some murkiness and a rawer, cavernous sound to it, and those that have spent time with the previous EP’s will notice an immediate shift when pressing play. There’s still quite a bit of weight and power to the instrumentation, but there’s a bit more space for the guitar melodies to expand outwards and this leads to some incredible peaks. What stands out most about Abyssal Vacuum is their ability to move between haunting dissonance and darker, more violent moments, treading the line between the more atmospheric variations of the genre and its traditional output. Tracks like “44°13'15.2"N 3°21'25.4"E” showcase both directions in the span of a single song, orienting towards oppressive and slower riffing early on before incorporating some unexpectedly bright flashes towards the end. Each song emphasizes something a bit different, and there are specific riffs that stand out with every listen. When they slow things down, Abyssal Vacuum reminds me of the methodical pacing and denser atmosphere of bands like Hetroertzen and Mare but the faster dissonant sections give off a Blut Aus Nord tone circa their Memoria Vetusta albums. But Abyssal Vacuum still has unique flourishes that give them a different sound, and they are thoughtful in how the slower passages expand, ensuring they don’t feel overstretched or repetitive. There are a few sections that do run together a bit, but the soaring peaks of “37°11'18.4"N 86°06'10.3"W” and “27°51'03.6"N 105°29'45.7"W” offer some of the more standout black metal I’ve heard in 2025.
Sébastien Besson has showcased a wide range of vocal styles in his other bands, and he continues to provide a varied and intense performance with Abyssal Vacuum. At the very beginning of the album listeners are met with ominous chants that transition over to a combination of growls and chants once the instrumentation comes in. The fluidity of the harsh and clean transitions is impressive, and Besson often towers above the instrumentals in ways that give off a similar feel as Eskil Blix’s work with Mare. As you make your way through the material higher shrieks and screams also come into play, and this gives a more abrasive tone to the passages where they appear. Sometimes in black metal of this type the riffs and atmosphere are the main focus, with the vocals providing a singular layer to place over top, but Abyssal Vacuum’s vocals are as dynamic as the rest of the band and it makes you want to focus in on them.
There are some elements to Abyssal Vacuum’s full-length debut that resemble what Besson was doing with Dyslumn, but it’s forged its own path and evolved significantly since the earlier EP’s. Some of the murk has been lessened, but this is still dense black metal that lives up to the vastness of its band name. The riffs and vocals are stunning, and while there’s still plenty of mystery around this album to unravel it’ll keep me returning for some time to discover more of those details. Abyssal Vacuum is available from Signal Rex.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg