Thu., Apr. 7, Starlite Lounge, 8 p.m., $15
Dallas occult metal outfit Absu started charting its course to hell over 25 years ago and have since set the bar for black and thrash metal. Once relegated to the underground, drummer-singer Proscriptor, a.k.a. Russley Randall Givens (the trio’s only original member) and a glorious cast of characters have become one of the most ferocious headlining acts on the scene. Its latest release, Abzu, is arguably the best yet, though it should only take one listen to “She Cries The Quiet Lake” from the group’s 2001 album Tara to realize there really is no faster act on land or sea. 1517 21st Street, http://absu.bandzoogle.com.
(SN&R)