Absu - The Third Storm of Cythrául (1997)^{Release ID: 3927}

This album saw Absu returning with a stronger 80's thrash metal influence than we'd heard from them previously. Stylistically it sits somewhere between the ferocity of Dark Angel's "Darkness Descends" & the raw power of Bathory's "Blood Fire Death". I know that sounds awesome in theory but I don't think they got the execution right. There's certainly lots of aggression but the fact that these songs are so much more effective in a live environment is strong evidence that this album could have been much better. Overall I think it just lacks a bit of class. The thin production & poor vocal delivery are also contributing factors. I definitely prefer the first two albums over this one.