Aborted

Aborted is a Belgian brutal death metal band from Waregem, formed in 1995 and active since then. The group starts with vocalist Sven De Caluwé, drummer Steven, bassist Koen and guitarist Niek, and later becomes a line-up with members from several countries, including Belgium, Iceland, Israel and the United States. Their membership changes frequently over the years, and the group is associated with a long list of musicians including Christophe Herreman, Frank Rosseau, Thijs De Cloedt, Bart Vergaert, Frederic Vanmassenhove, Gilles Delecroix, Daniel Wilding, Cole Martinez, JB van der Wal, Ken Sorceron, Eran Segal, Ken Bedene, Michael Wilson, Danny Tunker, Mendel bij de Leij, Ian Jekelis, Stefano Franceschini and Harrison Patuto.

Style and development

Aborted begin as a brutal death metal group and later bring in grindcore elements, especially around the time of Goremageddon: The Saw and the Carnage Done. Their sound also moves through other forms, including melodic metalcore in the middle of their career, with records such as The Archaic Abattoir and Slaughter & Apparatus combining that approach with death metal. More recently, the band performs deathcore on albums such as ManiaCult and Vault of Horrors. Their wider tag set also places them within death metal, goregrind, grindcore and metal.

Early releases and label history

The band self-releases the demo The Necrotorous Chronicles in 1998. Its debut album, The Purity Of Perversion, appears in 1999 on Uxicon Records, followed by a split release with Christ Denied in 2000 on Soulreaper Records. Engineering The Dead follows in 2001 on Listenable Records, and Goremageddon: The Saw And The Carnage Done appears in 2003 as another Listenable release. That album includes a version of Carcass’s Carnal Forge.

Mid-2000s line-up changes and releases

By the time of The Haematobic, Aborted issues a special EP connected to European touring in April 2004. It contains three new songs, a cover of Entombed’s Drowned, and studio and live video material. Around this period, Frank leaves the drum position, Gilles Delecroix takes over, and Bart Vergaert later exits the band. The group also adds Stephane Souteyrand for touring, then parts ways with Thijs De Cloedt and Frederic Vanmassenhove because of personal issues. New players then include Seb, Matty and Olivia Scemama, with Peter Goemaere later replacing Scemama on bass.

Later albums

The Archaic Abattoir is recorded at Antfarm Studios in Denmark with producer Tue Madsen and released in 2005 through Listenable Records. Guest vocals on the album come from Bo Summer of Illdisposed, Michael Bogballe of Mnemic and Jacob Bredahl of Hatesphere. A North American version appears through Olympic Recordings with different artwork. Later in 2005, the band records Slaughter & Apparatus: A Methodical Overture, released on Century Media. The album includes covers of Pantera’s Slaughtered and Faith No More’s Surprise! You’re Dead, with guest appearances from Jeff Walker of Carcass and Henrik Jacobsen of Hatesphere.

Tours and live work

Aborted tours Europe with Immolation after the release of Goremageddon: The Saw And The Carnage Done, and later joins Cannibal Corpse on European dates around The Haematobic. North American touring follows in 2005, including shows with Cryptopsy, Cephalic Carnage, Suffocation and With Passion. The band also appears at Maryland Death Fest and later performs in Tel Aviv, Israel.