Aborted, Belgium's 'finest', is back with their sixth full-lenght album called Strychnine.213. The titel refers to one of the compounds in rodent pesticide, and it has also been used as a poison. To quote a certain cartoon about a few kids in Colorado: "nice!"

It's fair to say that Strychnine.213 is the band's most melodic effort yet. But before you move your eyebrows in suspicion: The band is still as heavy as ever. Aborted's brand of chugging death metal riffs, groovy drumming and blastsections with Sven de Caluwé spitting out the piss and vinegar, is as succesful as ever. The big difference is a more melodic approach in the guitarwork (as in the melodic ending of "I35"), with the occasional dual lead 'Metallica' style.

"Pestiferous Subterfuge" is one of those instant Aborted-classics, opening with a mid-tempo groovy riff, before blasting through your eardrums (with the compliments of excellent new drummer Dan Wilding), transforming in a walls & balls breaking riff that will make you want to do that moshy thing. Aborted's grind history is getting less and less present, with only an occasional piggy scream showing up. Is this a bad thing? Not in my book, altough the band should watch out for falling into death metal clichés and the occassional 'I've heard that riff before with a Scandinavian band' band moment.

Strychnine.213 is the most 'rounded' Aborted record yet, with a great mix of brutal all out death metal spiced up with some great melodic guitar work. The fans of the genre and the band will already own this record, but the guys who still think that Arch Enemy is the best thing since sliced bread should check it out as well!