Existential Threat – Abstract Naturally (Album Review)

Existential Threat has a new 14-track record titled Abstract Naturally. The record’s tracklist begins with: ‘On A Mission’. Opening with a distinctive, gritty, and somewhat grungy guitar riff, the song immediately establishes a raw texture. After a few plucks, the sound is briefly punctuated by energetic, metallic-sounding drumming. When the drums momentarily drop out, the original riff is joined by mellow, almost sweet guitar chords. The percussion then returns, leading up to the entrance of the vocals. I assume these are the male, falsetto-ish vocals of Kid Confusion, the lead singer and bass drummer for Existential Threat.

Lyrics-wise, the song’s first line goes this way:

She’s on a mission to find why I don’t care.

The lyrical persona is presumably male, as the object of their contemplation is referred to as ‘she’. With about ten mentions of ‘she’ in the lyrics, the song should arguably have been titled ‘She’s On A Mission’. The lyrics employ figurative language, with rhyming serving as a major poetic device. Who’s this she? The lyrics offer substantial information regarding ‘her’ identity. We hear that she’s a ‘big dipper, brighter as a solar flare’.

We also hear that she persistently poses questions to the lyrical persona without receiving a response. Although there is more to her character, the verse where she is absent particularly catches my attention. It goes this way:

One minute, you’re alive,

And the next, you’re not.

And, once you’ve gone,

What have you got?

I connect these lyrics to existentialism, an association reinforced by the band’s name: Existential Threat. A brief unpacking confirms the fundamental truth that we live and then we die. But the crucial existential dilemma is this: what inheritance or legacy persists after death?

The track, “If I Were You,” begins with a brief, weighty moment of distortion or noise. This is quickly followed by the entrance of the guitar and metallic percussion, which is almost unrelenting throughout. The vocals are fast and accompanied by supportive humming. The overall feel is frantic, though the energy occasionally seems to momentarily backpedal.

Lyrically, the song revolves entirely around the conditional phrase ‘If I’. For instance, the persona states that if they were the addressee, they would demand the truth. This conditional structure is also used in reverse, with the persona musing on what the addressee might want if the roles were switched.

The next track, ‘Dangle’ features a crunchy, looping sound supported by lightly punchy metal drums. The vocals are strained and possess an echoing effect, sounding as though they emanate from within a large hall.

Lyrically, this is a song about opposites. The opening line, which speaks about the outside being the inside, recalls Shakespeare’s phrase about fair being foul and foul being fair. Another line exploring contradiction states that the mirror holds no truth, only someone else’s shame. After this comes a tough question:

 Did you let it dangle, just to catch my eye?

‘Literally Yours’ begins with a brief noise, immediately followed by punchy, almost soulful guitar strings. The vocals are subdued but quick. Lyrically, the song is fascinating, as the persona reveals details about both themselves and another person – for example, one is enthused while the other is amused. The words ‘literal’ and ‘literally’ are repeated almost to the point of absurdity, an element that could be refreshing to literature enthusiasts. The song also notably mentions the poet Robert Frost.

‘Clock In The Rain’ features guitar, metallic percussion, and drumming. The sound is generally laidback, though the almost lethargic yet single-pounce drumming injects a weighted energy. Lyrically, the song offers moments of reflection. The persona describes thinking late at night, specifically contemplating ‘when you first came.’ The ‘you’ addressed remains unidentified and of unknown gender.

In ‘I Never Would Have Known,’ the subject’s gender is confirmed as female (“girl”). The song presents a persona, likely male, who expresses disbelief that this girl loves them. This disbelief stems, in part, from the fact that she had previously ignored or walked past the persona. Despite this past indifference, the persona is ultimately happy with how the relationship evolved.

The song begins with piercingly punchy and steely instrumentation. Vocally, Kid Confusion is at times forceful. Lyrically, ‘Taking Your Time’ exhibits a cynical tone, which is subsequently balanced by the advice provided. The lyrical persona sneers at the individual who believes delaying action will secure the woman. Furthermore, the persona suggests this individual’s flawed mentality is based on signs that they’re ‘not seeing’.

Instrumentally, the song begins with light noise, then quickly gains momentum with clean, almost soulful guitar work, which is soon accompanied by drums. Kid Confusion’s voice is deep in this track, laced with melody.

Clean and soulful guitar start us in ‘A Hard Lesson To Learn’. A cheerful bass guitar appears as well. From the very first line, the song shows its subject matter: hatred. You have a lyrical persona saying:

I know you hate me.

That is a strong realization and statement to make. The lyrical persona further expresses the difficulty of this knowledge, calling the awareness of being hated a ‘hard lesson to learn’.

If hatred is a strong emotion, then ‘Don’t Speak To Me Again’ also expresses intense sentiment. The central conflict involves the termination of a friendship, with the lyrical persona definitively demanding that their addressee cease all further contact.

Sonically, the song opens with a dry and slightly crunchy sound, followed by the introduction of clean guitar over almost minimal drumming.

‘A Change Of Pace’ features prominent bass guitar and metallic drumming. Kid Confusion’s vocals soar throughout the song. While the lyrics are motivational, they also carry a warning against becoming addicted to one’s own opinion.

‘Mountain Climbing’ follows a familiar pattern, beginning with slight noise before launching into guitar and drumming. If the title ‘mountain climbing’ is used metaphorically, then the mountain represents the heart of the lady whom the lyrical persona promises to reach.

The introductory ‘noise’ in ‘Hidden In The Sky’ is actually composed of human grunts. Kid Confusion’s vocals are at times forceful, even comically so, yet the bass guitar smooths out any harsh edges in the track, resulting in a beautiful sound overall.

Lyrically, the song references both dreams and the future. The nature of this future is posed as a question: ‘Do you trust those hidden dreams?’

‘Let’s Believe’ begins with noise and guitar strings, supported by persistent percussion. Lyrically, the entire song revolves around the central phrase, ‘Let’s believe’. We hear:

Let’s believe in what we want.

Let’s believe in what we are.

‘Ordinary Train’ concludes the album. The instrumentation features noise, fast guitar, and drums, establishing a grungy groove. The vocals are high-pitched and occasionally strained. Lyrically, the song uses imagery of train conductors and tickets. The persona urges someone they call ‘baby’ to board, offering to act as the conductor. However, the situation is strange: the ‘baby’ is pressured to buy the ticket, and yet the train passes without the conductor present.

The song’s final line goes this way: ‘You’ll have to decide, is this an ordinary train?’

SCORE/ Excellent. I appreciate that the album has an array of different ‘noises’. While the rock sound is predominantly defined by guitar (crunchy guitar included) and drums, I found the bass guitar fascinating. The crunchy guitar was somewhat underutilized across the album. I also wish to acknowledge the album’s literariness. Furthermore, I maintain a strong fascination with existentialism, particularly the concept of the absurd.

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