Florida’s The Absence came onto the scene in 2005 with their crushing Metal Blade Records’ debut, From Your Grave. The album, and its two successive follow-ups, 2007’s Riders Of The Plague and 2010’s Enemy Unbound, showcased the perfect mixture of heart-wrenching melodies and skull-pounding aggression truly making them one of the premiere bands of the US melodic death metal scene.
For the first time on vinyl, rediscover the group’s early work with a reissue campaign seeing these three earlier efforts for the first time on vinyl. Long requested by the band and fans alike May 17 marks their availability via M-Theory Audio’s licensing arrangement with Metal Blade Records. Preorder at m-theoryaudio.com.
“Revisiting these albums has been pretty fantastic. It's more than about time they receive a vinyl release, and what better way to listen!!!” states singer Jamie Stewart. “Cheers to Marco and crew for finally pulling this off! We hope you all enjoy spinning these records as much as we have!!”
From Your Grave – the crushing debut, produced and mixed by Erik Rutan (Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Hate Eternal) and mastered by Alan Douches (All That Remains, Cattle Decapitation, Cryptopsy). On 300 limited sapphire colored vinyl.
Riders Of The Plague – the classic sophomore album produced by Jonas Kjellgren (Immortal, Overkill, Dark Funeral) at Mana Studios and featuring a myriad of guest guitarists - Per Nilsson (Scar Symmetry), Santiago Dobles (Cynic, Pestilence), James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Cancer) and Jonas Granvik (Without Grief). Includes a cover of Testament’s “Into the Pit.” On 300 limited tiger’s eye colored vinyl.
Enemy Unbound – the band’s third album, produced by then guitarists Patrick Pintavalle and Peter Joseph with tracking/editing assistance from Brian Elliot (Dying Fetus, Paths of Possession), and mixed and mastered by Jonas Kjellgren at Sweden’s Black Lounge Studios. On 300 limited poltergeist colored vinyl.
These three records, all with revamped layouts by Sonatheria Media’s Marc Lopes (Metal Church, Ross The Boss, Let Us Prey), showcase the first half of the band’s career and the early talents of members drummer Jeramie Kling (later of Inhuman Condition, Venom Inc, Ex Deo), bassist Mike Leon (later of Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy, Havok) and singer Jeramie Stewart (also of Hot Graves). The Absence returned in 2016 and have been toured and released three more albums since including the M-Theory collaborations – 2018’s A Gift For The Obsessed and 2021’s Coffinized, and more recently the band’s self-released and self-titled sixth album this past March.
(Photo - Deidra Kling)
