“London’s Subdued return with an even darker statement of purpose on their uncompromising second LP “Abattoir.” 8 tracks of anarcho punk that threads different UK underground traditions—descending like a dense fog of grief and anger to block out the light. Fans of Subdued will find an old friend in the galloping toms, the snide and articulate hopelessness of Jack’s lyricism, the spider-webbed guitar-work, the bass like a blunt instrument. But this record has embraced a new level of mystical antagonism towards the everyday world, towards England, towards post-industrial society, towards hell itself, that it necessitates a new kind of songwriting. The tracks are oblique and embrace emotional fragmentation. The guitars are bathed in moonlight, stunning in their evocation of darkness, the drums are somehow more frenetic, and more introspective in their varied pacing. These songs poke at the possibility of salvation, but walk away from the table, leaving a cool presence in their wake like a ghost. And here the band’s risks are equal to the reward. Like their compatriots Exit Stance, or Amebix, Subdued has crafted a timeless record, aggravating in the shadows, psychedelic with despair, one foot in the grave.” (STRAW MAN)

Subdued is:

Jack, Jyoti, Nicky and Ralph

Produced by Aidan Elias
Engineered by Joe Nelson and Owen Deutsch
Recorded at D4MT Labs Inc Neurosonic Research, NY August 2023
Vocals recorded at Holy Mountain Studios by Stan Gravett
Artwork by Nicky Rat and Jack Sabbat

Our take: I was a huge fan of Subdued’s first full-length, Over the Hills and Far Away, but this follow-up is a major leveling up, and it’s without a doubt one of the most exciting and essential underground punk records of 2024. While Subdued’s sound is still based on the heavy, chugging anarcho-punk of early Amebix and Exit-Stance, they lean into their strengths on Abattoir, crafting a sound that is distinctly their own. Rhythmically, the band has a unique command of dynamics, every song imbued with cycles of push and pull that seem so natural and organic as to be almost imperceptible, but keep the songs consistently interesting. Atop this foundation, two guitarists weave spiderwebs of dark and delicate arpeggios and sinewy melodic lines, occasionally locking into the heavy underlying rhythms for a bulldozing chug-fest. The lyrics and vocals are fantastic too, and while they give you all the sloganeering you’d want from a dyed-in-the-wool anarcho band, they’re not cliches but compelling, poetic assessments of society’s ills. Abbatoir is dense with memorable lyrics, but you’d be hard-pressed to disbelieve anything Subdued’s singer says, because he delivers every line with a force that makes it feel like truth is being wrenched violently from his guts. Clocking in at a brisk 22 minutes, Abbatoir has no room for moments that are anything short of thrilling. If you like the music we like here at Sorry State, this record should be on your radar.