Some things are just a little to complicated for their own good. Hooking up Tivo to an HD TV, dealing with the lines at the DMV, my daughter's logic...all complex and confounding in their own way. This debut CD from LA's thrashy hopefuls ABSOLUTION is also rather complicated. In fact, listening to "The Revelation Diaries" is an experience more akin to interpreting life insurance riders than rattling your head to a metal album.

From a technical standpoint, ABSOLUTION has the chops, the tools, and the chutzpah to go the distance. The tag-team guitars of Chaz Leon and Matt Schneider deliver a dazzling array of muscular chugging and cool solos in the vein of early FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, while throat man Dave Deroscher dishes out a 1986-style clean vocal workout. But for all the indubitable musical mastery, "The Revelation Diaries" is a pretty tedious release. It's as if the band is determined to out-Mustaine Mustaine in every song, forcing in unnecessary riff changes every time you start tapping your foot. Honestly, there are enough riffs on this disc for three or four thrash records. "Reflections of Hate" and "The Servant of Liars" both shift from a strong galloping melodies to flat pre-choruses just when things were getting interesting. By the time we get to "Savior", Deroscher seems forced into a talky delivery just to keep up with the morse code-like changes. Knocking these babies down to two, maybe three riffs per song like ye olde metal of yore (MAIDEN, PRIEST, MOTÖRHEAD, etc.) may make it easier for the guitarists and vocalist to stretch out and really knock us on our arses. Plus, we'd actually remember the songs without reaching for the Excedrin bottle. Not a bad debut, but the performers need elbow room.

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: www.absolutionmetal.com

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