It's hard to nail down what it is that makes Aborted stand out from the flood of death releases. Perhaps it is the bluesy approach that makes the songs hard and fast yet also easy and melodic. This juxtaposition works brilliantly in songs like "Gestated Rabidity" and "The Gangrenous Epitaph", where mid- and up-tempo drumming sequences are alternated as easily as wicked leads and old-style riffs. The vocals also help a lot; it is obvious that vocalist Sven has matured a lot over the last albums. His grunting style is solid and intelligible, yet packs a heavy punch -- something I can't say for many other bands, especially Six Feet Under. Overall, _The Archaic Abattoir_ is an album that will continue to impress you, run after run.