In some moments when we deal with Metal bands' albums, it seems that we heard that work time and time again, doesn't it? This comes from the lack of creative power driving our bands, and to be honest: some fools established a child rule that says that all good musical works that could be done are already done. To these empty-minded guys, I have a question: if the things were in this way you preach, why do you play music? Your ideas and what you all say don't make sense. As proof, this talented Syrian duo called ABSENTATION comes with "Ascending to Desolate", a good album.

Their musical work is a brutal and extreme form of traditional Death Metal in the English School. But they are trying, even among the genre's clichés, to put some identity into what they are playing. Although they need to improve in some aspects in the future, we can hear now that they have a lot of potential. It's aggressive and catchy, played with very good instrumental parts (that shows good rhythmic changes), and with good guttural grunts. My words maybe are not showing what they do, but they are really good playing in this manner.

On the sound quality, although some instrumental tunes aren't as good as they could be (especially on the drums), the producer created something that is brutal, aggressive with that essential crudeness that Death Metal needs, but with a very good sense of sound clarity. It's not perfect, but fits in what they do. If we take out of our analysis "Huddle of Nemesis" (just an intro for the album) and "Depopulate" (an instrumental outro that is used to end the album), we have seven good songs that shows how they have a great potential. But the very good rhythmic changes of "Constipated Genes", the catchy guitar riffs of "Ascending to Desolate", the slow charming parts of "Lethal Puppetry" and the Old School Death/Thrash Meta influences of "Divine Secrecy" are clear evidences of a good name that came to stay.

ABSENTATIONis really a good name, and as long as the improvements come, they'll be great. Let me praise these guys, because in a country ripped apart by wars, they are indeed courageous.