Review: Might ‘Abyss’
Might as a band were birthed on January 13th 2020 in Hannover, Germany. They’re a duo consisting of Ana Muhi on vocals and bass with Sven Missullis on guitar, vocals, and drums. Their Self-Titled debut was released in 2020 and tinged with a spider like feel adorned with major sludge tendencies we all love and have heard before. Sophomore album Abyss sees them stripping away the influences of bands like EyeHateGod and Melvins and taking up the reigns of embracing themselves.
Album opener Naked Light comes in, swooning with harmony that blissfully sets an otherworldly beautiful tone. A graceful piano woven into Ana’s angelic vocals is jolted by Sven’s guitars, and drums come in as powerful as a hammer spilling out of the speakers. Barn burner Lost cranks up the speed while Sven tells a manic tale of the worthlessness and egocentric fragility of humanity with distorted vocals. A chaotic guitar solo with the feel of a temper tantrum clashes with uncanny drums beaten slowly and powerfully.
Abysses rumbles with tension as we shift back to Ana on vocal duties. She sings with a hushed, provocative style that somehow transitions between overt confidence and extreme indifference confusing your mind. The whole feeling melts into a puddle until Sven’s vocals come in creating a weird exchange between the two. All the instruments sound slightly off that’s just enough to create a sense of dread. A deep struggle with existence ensues and we’re forced to listen.
Circles is a pop textured jaunt mixing it with something evil. Think of a track in a horror film as teenagers run away from whatever monster needs them dead. Ana sings words devoid of love over sparse piano keys on Who’s Ahead. A sense of desperation is obvious but closes without catharsis, making an empty pit in my stomach. The wobbling Tightrope Walk has Sven plucking a tension-laced guitar so fast it’s easy to lose sight of the fact this is an acoustic ballad. Ana continues on vocals that are delivered lovingly, yet manic, as each listen is filled with more fear than the previous.
Abyss has shades of brilliance on every track and Might are harnessing their strengths…
How Sad A Fate burns slow and low with bass notes taking center stage until a powerful guitar riff opens the song up, capturing your attention. The vocals are so breathy and dense, the impression it left on me stuck around for long after the song ends. Maybe that can be contributed to the ending lyric ‘We’re more lovely than sin’ resonating with me. A glitched out mess called Shrine bathes in its own filth and lust. Chords immediately distort into a festering infection, thick with pus that matches the grunge-y nature. This may be Might as their most sinister.
Lucky Me has this messed up echo chamber like effect. Sven’s guitar comes in scrambling to find its footing. His vocals are breathless and angry, planting the song firmly on the ground, thrash levels of speed then jettison everything out of control. Odd lyrics that state something about a unicorn needing to be sold, lead to a breakdown that comes out of nowhere and I’m left wanting more moments like this.
Acting like the spiritual sequel to Who’s Ahead, Dear Life is airy at times, while notes sit way longer than what I would expect. A sobering feeling drifts in, settles then fades out. I’m floored and the song is only two and a half minutes long. Holy Wars ends Abyss with a strummed guitar, majestically paced and a non-ironic sanity that throws off my ear each time I hear it, before leading to one final build-up which lands perfectly. A very cathartic end with lyrics that straddle between a pessimistic view of the world and a weird togetherness.
Might’s Abyss was a weird time. Each moment feels like it would engulf the sounds with beauty, but is then interrupted with chaos, the chaos, however, never lingers long enough to make it a traditional sludge record. An exchange of feeling is overt as Might focus on creating an ever-changing sound that refuses to be identified. I think this is a phenomenal step towards something truly unique and haunting. Abyss has shades of brilliance on every track and Might are harnessing their strengths well.
Label: Exile On Mainstream Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Richard Murray