Like it or not, this thing is happening.
Rising is punk infused metal.
Rising rocks hard.
Rising is no more.

Danish metal band Rising released Abominor, the sophomore and final (?) album from the hard rock trio. Rising saw both vocalist Henrik Hald and drummer Jacob Johansen walk away from the project, citing creative and personal differences, leaving guitarist Jacob Krogholt the sole remaining member. This was a major problem prior to the release; it’s amazing we have this album in our world at all. Rumors have it that Rising is under re-construction and fans can see more of what they knew to be the bands own hard, bar rockin’ sound. Until we know for sure, let’s review on what Rising was, shall we?

From their full-length debut of To Solemn Ash in 2011, Rising announced themselves on the scene with elements of classic metal ballads and punk style rhythm– Abominor reflects that.

From the first second of “Distain,” we listen as the approaching thunder comes bounding in over the mountain tops on the backs of four punk rock horses of the apocalypse. Rising charges at their audience with cruel and raw vocals treated with forty minutes of angst and melody.

How does one bring both angst and melody to something that is a band like Rising? With a combined orchestra of rare clarity in growling vocals and well layered audio texture. “Reproach” and “Leech” give great examples of that layering of textures from harmonizing guitar, drum and bass. Simply put, it’s mathematically traditional when counting into the song. Fans of both classic punk and metal roots would appreciate the similarity these songs have to the most basic of the traditional rock element. “Vengeance is Timeless” and “Broken Asunder” are both amazing examples of build up. “Suffering Nameless” brings the punk rock pluck and power chords while “The Hills Below” and “The Malice” present the thunder drums element to album.

As appropriate as the opening track on the first album was to the worldwide introduction of Rising, so is “Gaunt”, the final track on Abominor. With the song’s dimming outro, the listener knows that Abominor is fading in their presence. Was this astonishing foresight or just well-engineered fading in the production of the album?

Fade out.