ABSTRACTER

Abstracter formed in Oakland CA in the earlier months of 2010 from a core founding duo of M. Alagna on vocals and R. Kahn on guitars, both at their very first experience trying to get a band off the ground. Inexperienced but motivated, the duo took their main influences of Sunn O))), Godflesh/Jesu, Swans, Amebix, Dystopia, Disembowelment, His Hero is Gone and Corrupted to the rehearsal space, starting out with abstract guitar and vocal drone soundscapes and ambient improvisations which became the first foundational brick laid for the band’s iconic abysmal atmospheres that would get fully developed years later. Recognizing the conceptual limit of the two-member formula, the duo began looking to expand the lineup, and the project soon evolved into a full band with the addition of a revolving door of rhythm section members, thus morphing into a more straightforward metal act which soon began a long process of transformation and evolution through the diversity of its membership and the accretion of an ever-developing spectrum of influences. The “Tomb of Feathers” debut album from 2012 introduced Abstracter to the Bay Area metal underground as a singular blend of sludge metal and crust in the vein of His Hero is Gone, Dystopia and Jesu, being notable for its bleak atmosphere, long, ambitious compositions, and its enigmatic apocalyptic lyrics. The 2015 followup album “Wound Empire” (which turned into one of the very first Sentient Ruin releases) saw Abstracter make a marked departure from its predecessor and drift into darker and heavier realms with the introdction of the first subtle black metal influences into their sound, while further developing and establishing their increasingly ominous apocalyptic concept. “Wound Empire” was well received in their scene and earned them higher profile live gigs, motivating them to push on and keep evolving. By the late 10’s, heavy black metal, dark ambient, and industrial influences began to seep ever so increasingly into their sound, creating a string of ultra-bleak, crushing blackened doom releases with an oppressive and apocalyptic aura (2016’s split 12” with Dark Circles, 2018’s “Cinerous Incarnate” and 2021’s “Abominion”) which gained them further acclaim in extreme metal circles as well as opportunities to tour Japan, Europe and the American West Coast, playing with bands like Doom, Coffins, Hell and Revenge, and boasting lineups featuring members of Vale, Ulthar, Mutilation Rites, and Mefitic among others. The COVID pandemic was a labored period for Abstracter, involving both logistical and personal challenges which nearly ended the band. Founding guitarist R. Kahn amicably stepped down for personal reasons leaving vocalist M. Alagna the only founding member to continue the band, which by that point had already featured the band’s most stable lineup since its inception a decade prior, with T. Cox (ex-The Mass, Wrack) on drums, M. Underwood (ex-VRTRA, Dispirit) on guitar, and L.R. from Mefitic on bass keeping his role from the “Abominion” days. After considering a band name change but abandoning the idea shortly after, all four members regrouped around 2023 with new motivation and inspirations, spending the couple years afterwards working tirelessly on what would become Abstracter’s most destructive and definitive album ever, coming soon, once again, on Sentient Ruin.