I have always held a lot of respect for ABIGOR. Always staying true to their conceptual and artistic vision, the Austrian legend has produced an impressively versatile body of work united by a sense of dedication not many bands manage to maintain over a course of 20+ years. Their last record, 2014’s monumental liturgic work „Leytmotif Luzifer“ can easily be called one of the outstanding Black Metal releases of recent years. 

Sporting a decidedly lo-fi—aesthetic in terms of both production and visual appearance and citing references such as Ulver’s „Nattens madrigal“, Sorhin and Strid, „Höllenzwang“ presents itself as a totally different beast from the get go. What could have been a cozy ‚retro‘ kind of record in the hands of less gifted musicians turns out as a highly unusual, demanding yet utterly compelling listen. In line with the basic ideas of Black Metal, ABIGOR don’t want you to feel safe or at home - they aim at fundamentally shaking and disturbing you with their art. Harsh and sharp-edged as fractured bones, „Höllenzwang“ reveals its true beauty only after repeated listens. However, once infected you will have a hard time getting these nine hymns out of your head while wondering, where ABIGORs path will lead them (and us) next.

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