The Human Abstract - Midheaven Review

Posted by Dan Marsicano on 08.20.2008

After the loss of founding member/guitarist A.J Minette, The Human Abstract releases their sophomore effort Midheaven. Can the Los Angeles metallers bounce back and follow-up on their fantastic debut album Nocturne?

The Band

Nathan Ells-Vocals
Andrew Tapley-Guitar
Dean Herrera-Guitar
Sean Hurley-Bass
Brett Powell-Drums
Sean Leonard-Piano, Mellotron, Keyboards


The Track Listing

1. A Violent Strike-6:42
2. Procession Of The Fates-4:13
3. Breathing Life Into Devices-5:11
4. This World Is A Tomb-3:57
5. Metanoia-3:18
6. The Path-3:08
7. Echoes Of The Spirit-4:31
8. Calm In The Chaos-2:46
9. Counting Down The Days-5:48
10. A Dead World At Sunrise-4:18





The Review

When a band loses a key member, as The Human Abstract did with the loss of lead guitarist/founding member A.J Minette, the lasting effect can vary. Some bands tread water for years afterwards before mercifully ending it, others find a replacement and continue their merry way, and some just shrug it off and continue sans one member. The Human Abstract found a replacement in Andrew Tapley and added keyboardist Sean Leonard to the ranks.

With Minette out of the picture, the band’s sound has taken a drastic change. While the band still displays the technical wizardry from Nocturne, the brutality and heaviness has been toned down a great deal for a more sonically-expanded sound. Midheaven will surprise a lot of fans, both in a good and a bad way. The reaction will be mixed; there is no doubt about it. Long-time fans may turn their back on the band, as many Metallica fans did with The Black Album, and there may be some backlash in the metal community over the softening of the band’s core sound.

The Human Abstract fans, and metal heads in general, should not be quick to judge Midheaven so lightly. While seemingly a 180 turn from their debut album, the Los Angeles quintet pulls off a triumphant success, an album that should be praised and adored by music fans alike. There is much more than what lies at the surface throughout Midheaven and it can be attributed to one individual in particular.

The addition of Leonard adds much needed depth and emotion to the proceedings. The situation reminds me of what happened to progressive death metal band Opeth when they added Per Wiberg as a keyboardist. While their early albums were fantastic, Wiberg brought something extra to the table to expand the sonic horizon for Opeth. Leonard has the same effect on The Human Abstract; he brings a classical touch to the sound that gives the band more of a progressive edge.

This edge is evident from the first track “A Violent Strike.” The longest song in the band’s short career, the epic opener goes through twists and turns, starting out with harsh vocals and crazy guitar work, before slowing down for a melodic middle section, including a wonderful piano section that slowly builds up to a spectacular conclusion. It’s one of Midheaven’s best tracks and gets the album off to a brilliant start.

Thankfully, the band continues this pace with “Procession Of The Fates,” which has a catchier sound than most fans might be used to, especially in the chorus. The screaming is still around, but the clean vocals make their presence well-known. “Breathing Life Into Devices” could have been on Nocturne, with its technical prowess of the guitarists and solid bass work that turns into a jazz-influenced jam session, heavy on the piano and acoustic guitar, before a soaring guitar solo ends the song on a high note.

The biggest change in The Human Abstract’s sound is the addition of slower “ballads,” in the loosest sense of the word. “This World Is A Tomb” has a tribal feel to it, mostly in the percussion that Powell uses. “The Path” is gothic metal done The Human Abstract style, which means a bit of neo-classical elements behind it. Closing track “A Dead World At Sunrise,” featuring L. Shankar, is Ells’ best performance on the album, a hauntingly beautiful song that is as depressing as the band has ever sounded, complete with the epic piano work of Leonard backing up Ells.

The band still knows how to throw down like the old days. “Metanoia” and “Echoes Of The Spirit” are solid slabs of technical progressive metal, much welcomed after the slower middle section. However, the heavier sections suffer from the production, which seemed to turn the heaviness button down to a 2 when it should have been a 9. While all the instruments are heard clearly, especially in the lighter moments, when the metal blasts out of the speakers, I found myself turning the volume up way more than I had to. It’s disappointing that the album didn’t have more of a kick to it, unless you turn the album to maximum volume.

Nathan Ells does more singing on Midheaven than on the debut album and really impresses with his wide range, especially on the ballads. Andrew Tapley and Dean Herrera make for a good duo, though Tapley is no Minette, which means the arpeggios are toned down significantly. Sean Hurley and Brett Powell are a solid rhythm section, with Powell keeping a steady beat throughout, especially in the minute long drum solo underneath the main melody of “Metanoia.” In his first album with The Human Abstract, Sean Leonard is a great edition to the band and drives the band towards forging a new, progressive, and tuneful sound.

Midheaven is an excellent sophomore album, one that has The Human Abstract evolving towards their true potential and crafting a more mature album in the process. The album will have a mixed reaction, judging by the message boards I’ve passed through. You definitely need to have an open mind going into Midheaven. Don’t expect Nocturne Pt. 2; you will be sorely disappointed if you do. I didn’t think the band could top their debut, but they proved me wrong with Midheaven, a mesmerizing album that is guaranteed to have a spot on my top ten list at the end of the year.

The 411: This was a tough album for me to grade. It definitely deserves the rating I gave it, but after multiple listens, I'm torn between an 8.5 and a 9. For now, I'll stick with the former, but the point is that Midheaven is a great album. Some of you will disagree with me, especially long-time fans, and that is understandable. The Human Abtract has drastically changed their sound, but that was to be expected with guitarist Minette leaving the band's ranks. Don't let a more melodic sound stop you from listening to Midheaven. It may take a few listens, and it may never click with you, but if it does, you'll know it and fall for it the way I have. Midheaven is the sign of a band picking itself up and being better off than they were before.

Final Score:  8.5   [ Very Good ]