Abolitionist – The Instant LP (1859 Records)

The Instant is a fifth full-length album by Abolitionist, a politically inclined punk rock band established across the state of Oregon, the US which has been formed back in 2009. The band performed two farewell shows in less than a month ago, but the legacy of this genuine act endures throughout remarkable music they’ve achieved to record over the decade of their permanence. This particular album is insignificantly faster than its preceding and descending recordings, with melodies being predominant over profoundly energetic shreddings. The essence of their earlier recordings is nevertheless present, but this time the band relies much more upon hardcore punk dynamics which have been saturated with thoughtfully arranged melodic guitar structures. Abolitionist shrewdly measures dosages of the rawness of Oregon’s punk rock scene with melodics of Washington, DC revolution summer like no one else, so The Instant equally showcases the best of both worlds. Dustin Herron’s abilities to convert his commitment to animal liberation activism, fascination about the first American Civil War, and the history in general, are also the driving engine of the band and his intelligent, thoughtful lyricism enlightens the enraged music. The entire band operates like a machine, from the compelling rhythm section to the effectiveness of both guitars, the Abolitionist appears so unifying and energetic throughout the entire album, the production sounds tight, so the overall listening experience is enhanced to the max. The Instant arrives with a meaningful cover artwork being composed of a fiery slaughterhouse that streams blood down to a giant pile of human skulls. This piece of artwork has been painted by Horsebites, who’s also appreciated for his work for labels such as Epitaph, Fat Wreck Chords…etc. The Instant comes on vinyl in two varieties, first pressing on a red vinyl or second pressing on black vinyl. This magnificent record is still available, but in limited quantities, so head over to the Abolitionist’s Bandcamp copy and preserve a copy for yourself.