Friday, 30 October 2026

SARAKSH - Abiram (Album Review)

Release Date: November 20th 2026. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD/Vinyl

Scream Into The Camera - Tracklist 


01. Scavenger

02. Confinement: Carving Me

03. Confinement: Circles

04. Confinement: Bottom Deep

05. They Come At Night

06. Forlorn

07. Mire

08. Designation


Members


Severin Mäker - Guitar, Keys, Programming, Vocals, Production (Editing, Mixing, Mastering)

Christian Busch - Guitar

Max Hönig - Drums


Review


Sludge Metallers SARAKSH debut album Abiram brings a highly volatile mix of Doom, Prog Metal, Post-Metal, Psych Metal and Tech Metal endeavors throughout. The record is quite forward thinking with SARAKSH employing different levels of EXTREME METAL within the familiar sounding Progressive Sludge Metal structures with some aggressive Death Metal and Crust Punk themes being played from the very start.


Opening track Scavenger allows SARAKSH to lay down the creative foundations of the whole album with an aggressive and violent attitude that draws upon the likes of CONVERGE, MASTODON, GOJIRA and even CHAT PILE with the band moving into different areas of the music. The vocals are quite challenging to listen to and fully appreciate with them moving between areas of clean vocals, harsh growls and death metal screams but at least everything is quite easy to understand. 


The record does transform into different styles of modern day melodies with a frantic Post-Metal and Prog Metal attitude with some of the lyrical themes, musical complexities and vocal arrangements reminding me of Devin Townsend and Mike Patton which is no bad thing. However, SARAKSH keep themselves mostly contained within the Progressive Sludge Metal environment whilst experimenting with the wider Extreme Metal scene that both play so brilliantly alongside each other within the epic three part track opus: Confinement: Carving Me, Confinement: Circles and Confinement: Bottom Deep. 


SARAKSH added some fantastic video game soundtrack mechanics into the mix of this album which does give Abiram a slightly fantastical quality which it fully earns by being quite outlandish, real and superbly grounded at the same time. There is a fearless Operatic and Prog Rock delivery that appears along the way that never feels forced with SARAKSH delivering intense fast-paced grooves that move across the whole Sludge Metal, Death Metal and Thrash Metal spectrum.


The later stages of the record take a more reflective attitude whilst keeping with its deeply methodical and experimental sound on tracks such as: They Came At Night, Forlorn and Mire. The dominant synths and keyboards are always a welcome addition and distraction as it moves the record to a heavier and clearer Psychedelic sound which is where my most favourite parts of the album appear.


Abiram is a surreal and nightmarish take on the modern Progressive Sludge Metal sound that dares to be different. There are too many great cinematic instrumental passages to mention but SARAKSH proves time and time again what  a highly original band they truly are. This may take you a few listens to fully understand what the fuck is actually going on but it’s an album worth investing your time in as the rewards are HUGE. 


Words by Steve Howe


Thanks to All Noir PR for the promo.


Abiram will be available to buy Digitally and Vinyl soon.


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