Abstracted Mind – Break Down Your Fears

Abstracted Mind
Break Down Your Fears
Out: 18^th September 2026
Playing time: 49:08

Abstracted Mind were formed in 2020 in Buenos Aires (Argentina) by singer Juli Hope and guitarist Yamil Ladner. Initially, it was just a project between the two of them. They play Symphonic Metal, which combines powerful orchestral arrangements with Modern and Progressive Metal. Both musicians received a classical education at the Ástor Piazzolla National Conservatoire in Buenos Aires. Initially, three singles were released in 2021 in their native language, Spanish. In the same year, the duo moved to the Netherlands and began writing lyrics in English. Bassist Rutger Klijn and drummer Eva Levina complete the current line-up. Further singles followed. And now their debut album, ‘Break Down Your Fears’, is complete.

I’ve heard more worse intros than ‘The Spark’. But here it feels like a short overture. The move to the first track, ‘Where It Begins’, is seamless. At first, the orchestration and drums dominate; later on, heavy riffs provide the background for Juli Hope’s unique vocals. The band places great emphasis on beautiful melodies. The chorus, in particular, is very catchy. ‘Despair’ is a little heavier but hardly any less melodic. The guitar melodies are underpinned by epic choruses. Juli’s elf-like vocals contrast with Yamil Ladner’s growls. But Juli can also deliver a more powerful, rock-inspired performance. And, as you might expect, a powerful guitar solo puts the finishing touches to the song. Dark-sounding orchestrations and strings introduce ‘Eternals’. This is followed by epic choruses driven by double bass. Meanwhile, the guitars sound a bit off-key at times. The vocals are mostly calm, with a pleasantly dark timbre. The orchestral introduction is also retained in ‘No Light Will Ever Remain’. Once again, we hear a new, darker timbre in Juli Hope’s voice, blended with mezzo-soprano vocals. On ‘Shattered Mirror’, heavy riffs kick in almost from the start, with the double bass driving the powerful orchestral passages. And Juli captivates the listener with her vocals. ‘Rise Again’ is a calm, dreamy piano and string ballad, accompanied by vocals in the lower register. Towards the end, the rhythm section kicks in with great power. The highlight here, too, is a guitar solo that hardly leaves the ballad-like realm. Finally, you can enjoy Juli’s clear soprano voice. The orchestrations and guitar riffs pick up the tempo on ‘Who You Really Are’. As with some of the previous tracks, wind instruments are also featured, and once again we hear the interplay between a clear female voice and angry growls. And so it continues, including on ‘Our Memories Remain’. Epic choruses, epic bombast, powerful guitar melodies and seductive vocals. Alongside this, there are changes in tempo and rhythm. The final regular track, ‘The Messenger From The Stars’, is also introduced by brass, epic choruses and heavy drumming. The vocals start off calm and enchanting, before the growls bring back a Metal edge. Later on, there’s an interplay between choruses, growls and powerful female clean vocals. The instrumental outro, ‘The Void’, features an electric piano and subtle strings, before everything fades away into the wind at the end.

‘Break Down Your Fears’ is a well-crafted Symphonic Metal album with a slightly progressive edge. Naturally, the orchestral arrangements provide plenty of epic grandeur. What’s pleasing is that this doesn’t overwhelm the Metal sound. I find Juli Hope’s vocals outstanding; with her immense vocal range, she elevates every single song.

Abstracted Mind – Rise Again: https://youtu.be/NOyHua5r6jc?si=KtJeqyTpS3BC6Rb7

Lineup:

Juli Hope – Vocals
Yamil Ladner – Guitar, Vocals
Rutger Klijn – Bass
Eva Levina – Drums

Track list:

• The Spark
• Where It Begins
• Despair
• Eternals
• No Light Will Ever Remain
• Shattered Mirror
• Rise Again
• Who You Really Are
• Our Memories Remain
• The Messenger From The Stars
• The Void